Frequently Asked Questions.

SureSmile isn’t a type of brace like metal or ceramic braces. It’s a treatment planning delivery system that makes braces (and clear aligners) more precise and effective.

While traditional braces rely on the orthodontist’s hands and eyes to bend and adjust wires, SureSmile uses a digital 3D model of your mouth along with robotic wire-bending technology to engineer each archwire to within 1/10 mm accuracy. This ensures that your teeth shift along the direct, most efficient path to their targeted position, shortening treatment times by up to 40%.

As SureSmile in Atlanta can work with metal braces, ceramic braces, hidden braces, and clear aligners, you can get the benefits of the system regardless of what your specific treatment looks like.

SureSmile involves advanced technology like digital scanning, proprietary treatment planning software, and robotic wire fabrication, all of which factor into the cost of treatment. That said, most patients find the investment worthwhile for its efficiency. Fewer adjustment appointments and a shorter overall treatment time are real, tangible benefits.

At Atlanta Orthodontics Specialists, we’ve incorporated SureSmile technology into our practice for 20 years. Every member of our team has deep experience in optimizing treatment plans, and we’re happy to discuss the specifics of cost and financing options during your initial SureSmile consultation in Atlanta.

One of the biggest perks of SureSmile is a simpler adjustment schedule. The system’s technology engineers your archwires to match your precise treatment plan, preventing you from needing manual adjustments at each visit. For most patients, this translates into a meaningful quality-of-life improvement over the course of treatments that often span a year or longer.

The exact frequency of your visits will depend on your specific treatment plan. At your initial orthodontics consultation in Atlanta, our team will walk you through what to expect from the start so you can begin planning around that schedule.

Yes, SureSmile is very safe, having been used in orthodontic practices across the country for over two decades. At our offices in the Atlanta Metropolitan area, Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists has been one of our longest-standing and most experienced users.

The scanning technology is non-invasive and radiation-free. It uses a small, handheld scanner that moves around the interior of your mouth and captures detailed 3D images, replacing the uncomfortable traditional molds that many older orthodontic practices still rely on. Following these scans, the robotic wire-bending process takes place in a lab, producing a more precisely shaped archwire than a human hand could create.

From the scanner to the software and materials, every component of the SureSmile system meets clinical and safety standards.

SureSmile is far from just a cosmetic orthodontic treatment. In addition to straightening crowded or misaligned teeth, SureSmile treatment plans can address a wide variety of bite issues, including overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites. The system maps every tooth’s movement in precise 3D detail before treatment begins, allowing your Atlanta orthodontist to plan and track bite correction with a level of precision that traditional braces can’t match.

Whether you’re concerned about your smile’s appearance or the function of your bite (or both), SureSmile offers our team at Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists the tools to see and treat the entire picture.

Getting started with SureSmile in Atlanta is easy. Your first step is to book a consultation at one of our five locations: Buckhead, Virginia Highland, Howell Mill, Sandy Springs, or College Park. At that appointment, your orthodontist will evaluate your teeth, bite, and jaw, while inviting you to share any specific goals or concerns.

If SureSmile is a good fit, a digital scan with the SureSmile handheld scanner is the next step. This is a quick and comfortable process that allows our team to avoid using traditional dental molds. Once complete, your Atlanta orthodontist will build out your custom 3D treatment plan, and the SureSmile lab will engineer your appliances. Most of our patients end up being surprised at how quickly the process progresses once treatment begins.

With 20 years of SureSmile experience, Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists is one of the most practiced providers in Georgia.

This is one of the most common questions we get from patients considering Invisalign® in Atlanta. The short answer is that yes, in most cases, Invisalign® works as effectively as traditional braces.

Invisalign® can help correct a variety of orthodontic issues, including crowded teeth, gapped teeth, overbites, underbites, and crooked teeth. In extremely complex cases, traditional braces that apply precise and continuous force may be more effective, but for the vast majority of our patients, Invisalign® can deliver results that are just as effective.

When you first come into our office for your orthodontics consultation in Atlanta, we’ll evaluate your case and let you know which treatment option is the best fit.

As with many things in life, consistency is key to Invisalign® treatment in Atlanta. Aligners work by applying gentle, continuous pressure, shifting your teeth into alignment over time. For that process to occur, you need to wear your aligners as prescribed. Skipping days or even hours can impede your progress, causing your teeth to shift back to their original positions. Meals and daily brushing are exceptions, of course, but outside of those moments, you should plan on wearing them.

Most of the patients we work with at Atlanta Orthodontics Specialists report that wearing their aligners becomes second nature within a few weeks.

In general, Invisalign® offers a much more comfortable experience than traditional metal braces. That said, most patients report mild discomfort during adjustment periods.

When you switch to a new set of aligners (typically every one to two weeks), you’ll likely feel pressure, tightness, and mild soreness. While uncomfortable, this is a positive sign, as it means that your teeth are beginning to shift. Discomfort typically fades within a day or two of each new tray, but cold water and over-the-counter pain relievers can help provide relief. Fortunately, because Invisalign® aligners are made from smooth, medical-grade plastic, you don’t have to worry about irritation to your gums, cheeks, and lips.

Most of our Atlanta Invisalign® patients see short-term discomfort as a small trade-off for a straighter smile.

When you first start wearing Invisalign® aligners, you may notice a slight lisp or change in your speech patterns during the first few days. This is normal and temporary—your mouth and tongue just need to undergo a short adjustment period to get used to the aligners sitting over your teeth. While most patients report normal speech patterns within a few days to a week, practicing speaking or reading aloud while wearing your aligners can help expedite the adjustment process.

If speech impacts are a concern for you, make sure to bring up the matter with our team during your orthodontics consultation in Atlanta. Nevertheless, impacts on speech are generally brief and manageable.

Whether you start your days with coffee from Dancing Goats or matcha from White Windmill, you’ll want to remove your aligners before consuming anything other than plain water. Hot beverages, in particular, can warp their medical-grade plastic, compromising both their fit and effectiveness. Colored beverages like coffee, tea, and red wine can also stain your aligners, making them more visible than you’d probably like.

To enjoy your morning beverage or breakfast, simply remove your aligners, brush your teeth afterward, and pop them back in.

Invisalign® cost in Atlanta typically falls between $4,000 to $7,000, depending on the complexity of your case and the number of aligner trays you’ll need throughout the treatment process. Patients with minor misalignments usually fall towards the lower end of that range; those with more complex cases may require larger investments.

Many dental and health insurance plans provide partial coverage for Invisalign® and other orthodontic treatments in Atlanta, so we recommend contacting your insurance provider to confirm your benefits.

Regardless of which financing option you end up using, a straight, confident smile is a priceless investment.

Keeping your aligners clean is simple but important—not just for hygiene, but to maintain their invisible appearance.

Rinse your aligners with lukewarm water whenever you remove them, and gently brush them with a soft toothbrush without toothpaste, which can be abrasive. You can also look into official Invisalign® cleaning systems, such as crystals.

Besides caring for the aligners themselves, maintaining strong oral hygiene throughout treatment is equally important. If you don’t, you can trap bacteria and food debris beneath your aligners, putting you at risk for cavities and gum issues. Fortunately, the fact that you can remove Invisalign® aligners to brush and floss makes it easy to keep your mouth clean and fresh.

Some parents worry that, besides correcting any underlying structural issues, a palatal expander will alter their child’s face shape in a noticeable or unflattering way. Fortunately, the changes that a palatal expander makes are subtle and almost always positive.

Widening the upper jaw can actually improve facial symmetry, creating a broader and more natural smile. In some cases, an expander can also help open a patient’s nasal passages, reducing mouth breathing and improving sleep quality.

These sorts of changes happen over a period of months, so there’s no sudden change in appearance. Your Atlanta orthodontist will walk you through what to expect before treatment begins.

A bit of initial discomfort is common with all types of orthodontic treatments—palatal expanders included. However, most children find it manageable.

When the expander is first placed in your child’s mouth, they may notice pressure, increased salivation, and some difficulty speaking as their mouth adjusts. After each activation, your child may feel small amounts of renewed pressure and soreness on the roof of their mouth, teeth, and behind their eyes or nose. While uncomfortable, palatal expander discomfort is normal and indicates that the activation is working as expected.

Discomfort typically fades within a few minutes to a few hours. Soft foods and over-the-counter pain relievers can help on activation days. That said, most children adapt more quickly to the new appliance than parents expect—often within a week or two.

After a short adjustment period, yes—your child will be able to eat and speak normally with a palatal expander in place. During the first week, you may notice some difficulty pronouncing “s” and “sh” sounds as the tongue learns to work around the appliance. Consistent speaking and reading aloud can help expedite this adjustment.

In terms of eating, soft foods are ideal during the first few days, as well as after each activation. Hard, crunchy, and sticky foods are best avoided throughout the treatment process, as they can damage the palatal expander. After eating, encourage your child to rinse their mouth with water and gently brush around the appliance to maintain proper oral hygiene.

Once your child’s palate has been widened to the target dimension, your Atlanta orthodontist will likely leave it in place for an additional retention period of several months. This allows the new bone to solidify across the expanded palate.

After the expander is removed, your child will be ready to progress further through their orthodontic treatment process. Braces or clear aligners may then be used to guide the newly available space into a beautiful, straight smile.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, we’ll map out the entire treatment sequence at the start so you and your child know what to expect at each stage.

Both Hyrax and quad-helix expanders are palatal expanders, meaning they bond to your child’s teeth and stay in place throughout treatment. That said, they work a bit differently from one another.

A Hyrax expander uses a central gear mechanism that parents need to activate nightly by inserting and turning a small key a precise amount. This gives your Atlanta orthodontist deliberate control over the pace of expansion.

On the other hand, a quad-helix uses four looped springs that are pre-activated by your orthodontist at each visit, providing constant, gentle pressure without the need for at-home adjustments. This makes the quad-helix a good fit for younger patients or situations where a parent-activated appliance isn’t practical.

Your orthodontist will assess the palatal expander types and recommend an option based on your child’s age, the extent of expansion needed, and other factors.

Palatal expanders work best in children and younger teenagers, as palate bones typically fuse between the ages of 14 and 16. Before fusing, appliances can gently separate the two plates of the palate, allowing new bone to form in the gap. This makes expansion relatively straightforward.

Adult palate bones have already fused into a single structure, making traditional expanders ineffective. Adult patients who require palatal expansion may be candidates for a surgical procedure called SARPE (Surgically Assisted Rapid Palate Expansion), which uses a minor surgical intervention to allow expansion to proceed.

This limitation is why booking an orthodontics consultation in Atlanta at a young age is so important—catching a narrow palate during childhood makes treatment simpler, less invasive, and more effective.

Knowing whether a child needs braces isn’t always obvious, especially when conditions are subtle. While crowded and crooked teeth are common indicators, other signs can include difficulty biting or chewing, mouth breathing, thumb sucking past age five, and teeth that don’t come together when your child closes their mouth.

In adults, jaw discomfort, difficulty cleaning between teeth, and a longstanding self-consciousness about the appearance of your smile may make you a candidate for braces. The only way to know for certain is by scheduling an evaluation with your local Atlanta orthodontist.

While all three types of braces work towards the goal of moving your teeth into proper alignment, each comes with different materials and appearances. Traditional metal braces are the most recognizable option, using metal brackets at the front of your teeth and connected to one another by wire. Ceramic braces work similarly but use tooth-colored brackets that blend in with your natural smile, making them less noticeable. Hidden braces (sometimes called lingual braces) are on the back side of your teeth, making them essentially invisible.

When you come in for a braces consultation in Atlanta, our team at Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists can walk you through the different pros and cons of each option.

This is a common question we get from new patients, and the answer depends on how you define “hurt.” While braces shouldn’t be painful, it is normal to feel a bit of discomfort in the first few days after placement, when your teeth begin to respond to the pressure from the wires and brackets. In most cases, it’s a dull ache, not a sharp pain, and it usually subsides within a few days. During that window, patients can eat softer foods and consider over-the-counter pain relievers to alleviate discomfort.

Treatment times vary between patients on account of factors like the complexity of your case, your age, and how consistently you follow your orthodontist’s instructions. On average, most patients wear braces for between 12 and 24 months. Naturally, minor alignment issues require shorter treatment times, while complex crowding or structural issues take longer.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, we use SureSmile technology, which is a digitally directed wire system that maps each patient’s tooth movement. This system offers shorter braces treatment times than conventional braces. After your initial consultation at our office, our team will walk you through your treatment timeline.

Certain foods can be hazardous to braces wearers as they can bend wires, pop off brackets, and get lodged in places that are difficult to clean. Hard foods like candies, popcorn, and nuts are best to avoid, as are sticky foods like caramel, taffy, and chewing gum. You’ll also want to steer clear of anything you typically bite into with your front teeth, like apples or corn on the cob.

Besides being inconvenient, broken brackets and bent wires can extend your treatment time by causing your teeth to shift in the wrong direction. We’ll give you a full breakdown of foods to avoid with braces during your initial braces consultation.

Yes. Clear aligners like Invisalign® and SureSmile aligners can be great options for older kids and teenagers alike. That said, they do require a bit of work that wearers of all ages should be aware of. Notably, clear aligners must be worn for at least 18-22 hours a day, as well as removed for eating and cleaning. This can sometimes make them a less ideal option for younger patients, but if you have a teenager who’s ready to take ownership of their treatment, clear aligners could be an excellent option.

Oral hygiene with braces takes a bit more effort than without them. Nevertheless, it’s critically important. Brackets and wires create lots of small spaces where food and plaque can accumulate, putting you at a higher risk for issues like cavities and gum disease.

To keep your mouth clean, brush after every meal, angling the brush above and below your brackets while doing so. Flossing should also be a daily task; water flossers can make it easier to get between your teeth when wires are in the way. Finally, make sure to attend all follow-up appointments with your Atlanta orthodontist. They’ll be able to identify any developing issues before they worsen.

Yes—it might be surprising, but your Atlanta orthodontist can actually play a meaningful role in treating sleep apnea, particularly if the root cause is structural. Many cases of sleep apnea stem from issues with patients’ jaws, airway arches, or airway anatomy—all of which fall within an orthodontist’s scope of practice.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, we use CBCT imaging to evaluate your airways and determine whether orthodontic treatments like palatal expanders could improve airflow and reduce airway collapse during sleep. If your condition requires additional care, we partner with an interdisciplinary team of ENTs, sleep medicine doctors, oral surgeons, and myofunctional therapists.

Symptoms of sleep apnea in children don’t always resemble those in adults. Rather than loud snoring and daytime fatigue, your child may show behavioral symptoms that can resemble other issues, such as difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, bedwetting, and poor academic performance. Physical signs to look out for include mouth breathing, restless sleep, and unusual sleep positions like sleeping with their head tilted back.

If your child often snores or seems chronically tired despite getting enough sleep, it’s worth booking a sleep apnea screening in Atlanta. Catching airway issues early provides lifelong benefits.

The structure of both your jaw and dental arch has a direct impact on the size and shape of your airway. A narrow palate limits the available space for your tongue and soft tissues at the back of your throat. This increases your likelihood of experiencing airway collapse while sleeping.

Other conditions like tooth and jaw misalignment, tongue ties, and bite issues can also contribute to obstructive sleep apnea by reducing airway space and affecting how your tongue rests while sleeping. Thus, orthodontic evaluation is an important part of creating a plan for sleep apnea treatment, particularly in children whose jaw development is still ongoing.

For many children with structural issues in their jaw, palatal expanders can be one of the most effective forms of sleep apnea treatment. Besides creating additional space for teeth, widening a patient’s upper jaw widens the nasal passages, improving airflow and reducing the frequency of nasal obstruction during sleep. As children’s palate bones haven’t fully fused, expansion is generally a straightforward method to treat sleep apnea in children.

For adults with fully fused palate bones, traditional expanders are less effective. In these cases, other treatment approaches like sleep appliances and surgical remedies may be more appropriate.

Simply put, sleep appliances are fitted oral devices that patients wear during sleep to reposition their jaw or tongue and help keep their airway open. They’re an effective alternative to CPAP machines for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, particularly those who struggle with CPAP compliance.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, we use sleep appliances for specific cases, as using them for extended periods can cause teeth to shift over time. If you’re looking for CPAP alternatives, an orthodontic evaluation can help you determine whether a sleep appliance could be a viable option for your specific case.

There are some cases where children outgrow mild sleep apnea as their airways develop. That said, this isn’t something to count on, nor should you wait for symptoms to dissipate without a professional evaluation.

The symptoms of untreated sleep apnea in children can lead to a variety of problems, including behavioral issues, learning difficulties, and cardiovascular strain. If your child has a narrow palate, jaw misalignment, or some other structural cause behind their sleep apnea, early orthodontic treatment can correct the underlying issue as opposed to just managing symptoms.

In general, the sooner you identify airway issues in your child, the more treatment options will be available, and the simpler they will be.

Contrary to what many people believe, sleep apnea is more than just a discomfort—the interruptions to your oxygen flow it causes place significant stress on your cardiovascular system. When untreated, this can lead to a range of health issues, including high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and depression.

Beyond these long-term health risks, putting off sleep apnea treatment can impact your quality of life in more immediate ways. Chronic fatigue, difficulty concentrating, mood disturbances, and strain on relationships are all common complaints we hear from patients.

If you’re experiencing sleep apnea, getting evaluated soon rather than later will allow you to live a happier and healthier life, no matter your age.

This is one of the most common questions parents ask us. The truth is that habit appliances are uncomfortable, but for the habit, not your child.

The appliance itself doesn’t cause pain, but it does make thumb sucking or tongue thrusting awkward and less satisfying, helping to discourage the behavior over time. That said, as with any new oral appliance, it does take some getting used to.

During the first few days, your child may notice increased saliva production and mild soreness while their mouth adjusts. If discomfort persists, your Atlanta orthodontist may recommend simple remedies, such as orthodontic wax or a saltwater rinse. Most children adapt quickly, and within a few weeks, forget the appliance is even there.

As with all types of orthodontic treatments, your child’s habit appliance treatment length depends on their particular case; more severe habits warrant longer durations. However, most children wear their appliances for between 6 and 12 months. The goal isn’t to prevent the habit, but rather to override the neurological impulses behind it.

When you and your child meet our team for their Atlanta orthodontics consultation, we’ll share an expected timeline and closely monitor their progress throughout treatment. Doing so helps us prevent the habit from returning after we remove the appliance.

Habit appliances fall into two categories: fixed and removable. Fixed appliances bond to your child’s teeth and can only be removed in the office, making them a good option for children who might try to remove them. Alternatively, removable appliances can freely come out and are best for older children who require less supervision.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, we’ll select an appliance type based on your child’s age, the severity of the habit, and their unique set of circumstances.

Thumb sucking at age 3 isn’t cause for alarm, but it is something to monitor. Thumb sucking and pacifier use are normal in infants and toddlers, and most children abandon these habits on their own before they lead to lasting dental changes. Concern arises when the habits continue past ages four or five, when permanent teeth are developing, and the pressure from repeated sucking can affect the growth of your child’s jaw and dental arch.

If your 3-year-old is still sucking their thumb, speaking with an orthodontist about habit appliance treatments can help. They can assess the situation and decide whether early intervention is warranted.

Many of the parents we see try a variety of habit-breaking strategies in their children before turning to appliances. Reward charts, thumb guards, gentle reminders—we’ve heard and seen it all. These methods can be effective with some children, but with others, the habit is ingrained to an extent that behavioural approaches, alone, are insufficient.

Habit appliances work passively around-the-clock, without the need of regular parental intervention. Besides maximizing efficacy, this also prevents stressful dynamics from appearing around the habit. The appliance simply makes the behavior less rewarding until the urge behind the habit disappears.

For children who don’t respond to other methods, a habit appliance is the most effective and drama-free solution.

Yes—often, speech problems caused by tongue thrusting can develop over time. When a child regularly pushes their tongue forward between their teeth while speaking or swallowing, it can affect how certain sounds form, particularly “s,” “z,” “d,” and “n” sounds. This can result in a lisp or similar articulation issues that often become more pronounced as the child gets older.

Addressing tongue thrusting early through a habit appliance, and possibly other tactics like speech therapy, can prevent speech difficulties from becoming entrenched. At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, the interdisciplinary approach we take to these issues allows us to address the root cause, instead of just the symptoms.

While a habit appliance breaks the behavior that causes orthodontic problems, it can’t reverse changes that have already occurred. Thus, if your child’s thumb sucking or tongue thrusting has already affected their bite or tooth alignment, our team may still recommend braces or other treatment options once their habit appliance is out.

The good news is that starting habit appliance treatment as soon as possible can significantly limit the extent of these changes, often making subsequent orthodontic procedures simpler, shorter, and more affordable.

Any orthodontic appliance that moves teeth will involve some level of pressure and discomfort, and the Carriere Motion Appliance is no exception.

Most patients observe mild soreness during the first few days after placement and again after elastic changes, when their teeth begin responding to the gentle, consistent force the appliance applies. While this discomfort is temporary and generally fades within a day or two, over-the-counter pain relievers and soft foods can help during those initial adjustment windows.

Compared to other orthodontic bite correction treatments like headgear, most patients find the Carriere Motion Appliance more comfortable, both in terms of physical sensation and wearability.

While the Carriere Motion Appliance treatment time varies depending on the severity of your bite misalignment, most patients wear the appliance for between 3 and 6 months, after which they transition to braces or Invisalign.

The appliance works by first correcting your back bite, ensuring that when your Atlanta orthodontist places your braces or aligners, the appliances work from a properly aligned foundation. Generally, this investment in your bite correction shortens the overall treatment time, meaning that the two-step process still takes less time than going directly to braces.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, we’ll provide you with a specific timeline based on your individual case.

The Carriere Motion Appliance works for both teenagers and adults, as bite alignment isn’t unique to growing patients. The appliance’s mechanism uses gentle and consistent elastic force to reposition teeth regardless of age.

Adult patients looking to avoid invasive bite correction treatments or who want a more discreet alternative to headgear could be prime candidates for the Carriere Motion Appliance. Its design and minimalist aesthetics make it a popular option among patients conscious of their appearance.

As is often the case with orthodontic treatment, consistency is key, and this holds true with the Carriere Motion Appliance. The treatment relies on the continuous, gentle pressure of elastics to gradually shift your teeth into proper alignment. Thus, not wearing them—even for a day—can slow your progress and cause your teeth to shift back to their original positions. Similarly, you’ll also want to ensure you wear your retainer when wearing the elastics, as wearing them without it can negatively impact your tooth alignment.

While all three work to correct bite misalignment, the Carriere Motion Appliance has several advantages over its more traditional counterparts. Headgear is bulky, visible, and worn outside the mouth, making compliance tricky, especially for teenagers. The Herbst appliance goes inside the mouth but can restrict jaw movement in ways that many patients find uncomfortable.

In contrast, the Carriere Motion Appliance is small, low-profile, and almost invisible. It doesn’t impact your speech, and its 30 color options make it much more appealing to younger patients. In certain cases, it can even replace the need for bite alignment surgery—often a major attraction for patients looking to avoid more invasive orthodontic interventions.

Yes, there are some dietary adjustments you’ll want to make while wearing the Carriere Motion Appliance.

Hard, crunchy, or sticky foods can put excessive strain on the appliance or cause it to become dislodged altogether. In terms of specific foods, the same general guidelines that apply to traditional braces apply here: avoid hard candies, ice, popcorn, caramel, and chewy foods. Besides protecting the appliance itself, being mindful of what you eat can also make the elastic changes easier while helping to keep the attachment points clean.

Your Atlanta orthodontist will provide a full list of foods to avoid at your placement appointment.

The Carriere Motion Appliance primarily works to correct back bite issues; specifically, Class II and Class III malocclusions, which refer to overbites and underbites caused by upper and lower molar misalignments. When your back teeth don’t meet correctly, it doesn’t just affect aesthetics, but also chewing function, jaw comfort, and your long-term dental health.

By repositioning the upper and lower teeth into proper alignment before braces or Invisalign, the Carriere Motion Appliance makes subsequent orthodontic treatments more efficient, effective, and comfortable.

If you know you have a bite problem you need to address before braces, scheduling a Carriere Motion Appliance evaluation at Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists is a smart next step.

Although there is an adjustment period, most children adapt to eating with a Herbst appliance within a week or two. During those first few days, soft foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, pasta, and smoothies are recommended while your child’s jaw and teeth get used to the appliance. Following the adjustment, most everyday foods become acceptable. That said, you should avoid hard, crunchy, and sticky foods throughout the duration of treatment, as they can damage the appliance or even dislodge it from its attachment points on the molars.

Your Atlanta orthodontist will provide a full list of foods to avoid at your child’s placement appointment so that the whole family knows what to expect.

Braces and the Herbst appliance serve different purposes and often work in conjunction with one another, instead of as alternatives. Braces move individual teeth into proper alignment, while the Herbst appliance works on a structural level, repositioning the upper and lower jaws. This makes the appliance effective for correcting overbites caused by jaw discrepancy rather than tooth position alone.

Unlike other forms of orthodontic treatment for children, an orthodontist fixes the Herbst appliance to your child’s molars, allowing it to work around-the-clock, often in addition to braces.

The Herbst appliance is most effective during active jaw growth, which generally occurs between the ages of 10 and 14. During this window, orthodontic treatment in Atlanta can take advantage of the natural growth process by guiding jaw development rather than trying to override it afterward.

Nevertheless, the ideal time can vary between patients depending on their individual growth patterns and the severity of their overbite. Thus, early orthodontic evaluation (ideally around age 7) is extremely valuable, as it allows your orthodontist to monitor jaw development and recommend the Herbst appliance at the right time.

For most patients and families, yes—the Herbst appliance has several advantages over traditional headgear. Patients wear headgear outside their mouth, typically for 12 to 14 hours a day, which can lead to compliance challenges—particularly in the case of teenagers self-conscious about their appearances.

Orthodontists place the Herbst appliance inside the mouth, allowing it to work both out of sight and around the clock, without any effort from the patient. There’s no risk of forgetting to wear it, awkward external headgear, or risk of compliance issues. These benefits make the Herbst appliance a more practical alternative.

In most cases, yes. The Herbst appliance corrects the jaw relationship, but patients generally still need braces or clear aligners afterward to fine-tune the alignment of individual teeth. The Herbst appliance simply lays the foundation that subsequent forms of orthodontic treatment build off. Fortunately, through first correcting any underlying jaw discrepancies, future treatments can progress more straightforwardly, and often faster than they otherwise would have without the Herbst appliance.

When you book an orthodontics consultation in Atlanta, our team will outline the full treatment sequence to ensure you and your child have the full picture.

Yes. The Herbst appliance works in cases where an overbite has a skeletal component, meaning the upper and lower jaws are misaligned rather than just the teeth. For moderate to severe overbites in growing patients, it’s one of the most effective tools orthodontics has at its disposal.

By gently and continuously repositioning the upper and lower jaws during treatment, the Herbst appliance produces changes that would be difficult or impossible for braces alone to replace. In some cases, it can even eliminate the need for jaw surgery that might otherwise be needed if the overbite persisted through to adulthood.

Strong oral hygiene is always important, but especially when your child is wearing a Herbst appliance, as the hardware creates additional surfaces where food and plaque can accumulate.

Brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush after every meal is essential—make sure to angle the brush to clean all parts of the appliance. An interdental brush or water flosser can also be effective for cleaning around the metal components that regular toothbrushes can struggle to reach. Flossing also remains important, and saltwater rinses can soothe irritation and keep the mouth clean in between brushing sessions.

Your Atlanta orthodontist will demonstrate proper cleaning techniques at your child’s placement appointment.

Yes—braces are an accompanying requirement of orthognathic surgery, both before and after the procedure.

Before surgery, most patients wear braces for between 12 and 18 months to align their teeth into the correct positions. While this can temporarily make your bite feel worse, this step is essential, as it ensures your teeth fit properly before the surgery repositions your jaw. Following the procedure, your Atlanta orthodontist will place braces again to fine-tune your bite and make any final adjustments as your jaw heals.

While the timeline can feel lengthy, each phase plays an important role in achieving both functional and long-lasting results.

Many patients who need jaw surgery in Atlanta wonder about pain during recovery. While there is real discomfort, proper care and pain management techniques can help offer relief.

In the days following your surgery, expect to experience swelling, soreness, and difficulty opening your mouth. Most patients find the first week the most challenging and uncomfortable, which is why your Atlanta orthodontist will prescribe pain medication. Over the next few weeks, you can expect to see gradual improvements as your jaw heals.

By week six, most people can resume their normal activities, but full healing of the jawbone itself can take up to a year. Following your post-operation instructions, particularly as they pertain to diet and activity restrictions, can make a significant difference in how smoothly your recovery progresses.

Insurance coverage for orthognathic surgery depends on your specific policy and whether the procedure is considered cosmetic or medically necessary.

If you have a history of documented, functional problems with your jaw, such as difficulty chewing, speech issues, or obstructive sleep apnea, there’s a chance your policy will cover at least a portion of the cost, provided there aren’t any exclusions in your specific plan. If you’re pursuing the surgery for cosmetic reasons, however, the chance of coverage is lower. In general, pre-authorization offers the best chance of receiving coverage, so plan on speaking with your insurance provider before the procedure.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, we’ll help you understand what documentation you need to support any insurance claims, as well as walk you through options for financing any jaw surgery costs that insurance will not cover.

Yes. Orthognathic surgery repositions your jaw, often producing noticeable changes to facial appearance. The good news is that, for most patients, these changes are positive.

Correcting an underbite, overbite, or facial asymmetry can often result in improved facial balance, a more defined jawline, and better proportion between the upper and lower parts of your face. That said, the degree of these changes can vary wildly, depending on the severity of your original condition and the specific corrections you need.

During your Atlanta jaw surgery consultation, your orthodontist and surgical team will discuss what results you can expect. In some cases, our team can even use imaging technology to help you visualize potential results before you commit to the treatment.

Typically, yes—orthodontists reserve orthognathic surgery for severe cases where the jaw discrepancy is too significant to correct with braces or other standard orthodontic appliances.

If your bite issues, facial asymmetry, or functional problems stem from skeletal misalignment (meaning that your jawbones themselves are positioned incorrectly, not just your teeth), surgery may be the only way to achieve a fully corrected result. Nevertheless, severe doesn’t mean rare, and skeletal jaw discrepancies are more common than people realize. For many patients, their issues have been present since birth or have developed during adolescent growth.

If you’re unsure whether your case requires jaw surgery in Atlanta, an evaluation with an orthodontist from our team can clarify whether orthodontics alone are sufficient, or whether a surgical referral makes sense.

If you have significant skeletal jaw discrepancies, declining recommended orthognathic surgery will not make the underlying problem go away. On the contrary, it can cause issues to worsen over time.

Untreated jaw misalignment can lead to excessive wear on teeth, ongoing TMJ pain, chronic headaches, and continued difficulty with breathing, chewing, and speaking. For patients with obstructive sleep apnea linked to jaw structure, associated health risks like cardiovascular strain can also persist.

While jaw surgery in Atlanta is a significant undertaking, it can resolve problems that would otherwise continue to affect daily life and long-term health. Your Atlanta orthodontist can help you understand any specific risks of forgoing surgery in your specific case.

CPAP machines treat sleep apnea by mechanically keeping your airway open during sleep. Essentially, they manage the symptom, but don’t address the root cause of why your airway is obstructed in the first place.

Airway dentistry takes a different approach, identifying and correcting the underlying dental or jaw-related causes of airway obstruction. This can include a narrow palate, misaligned jaw, or tethered oral issues. For some patients, correcting these structural issues can reduce or eliminate the need for a CPAP altogether. For others, airway dentistry in Atlanta may be effective alongside CPAP therapy as part of a broader treatment plan.

The right approach depends on your specific case and the severity of your symptoms, which is why a thorough airway evaluation should always be the first step.

Yes—airway issues can impact children in ways that extend beyond their sleep schedules and into their overall development.

Children who experience chronic airway obstruction, often due to factors like enlarged adenoids, a narrow palate, or tongue ties, can experience disrupted sleep patterns that affect growth, behavior, and cognitive development. Studies have found links between poor sleep quality in children and symptoms like difficulty concentrating and hyperactivity. Growth hormone disruption has also been observed, as children’s bodies release these during sleep. Mouth breathing, which often accompanies airway obstruction, is another symptom that can affect facial and jaw development over time.

Identifying and addressing dental-related airway issues early can help prevent downstream effects. Thus, airway evaluation forms a crucial part of comprehensive pediatric orthodontic care.

A tongue tie, also known as a tethered oral tissue, occurs when the band of tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth is unusually short or tight, restricting the tongue’s range of motion. While it may sound minor, the tongue plays an important role in proper swallowing, speech, and jaw and palate development. A restricted tongue can, therefore, contribute to improper swallowing patterns, mouth breathing, and—in some cases—can influence how your palate and jaw develop over time. All of these symptoms can affect the airway space.

Tongue tie treatment in Atlanta, called a frenectomy or frenuloplasty, is a quick, minimally invasive procedure with a fast recovery. Depending on the patient’s age and specific condition, it often leads to numerous improvements in breathing, feeding, and speech.

Airway dentistry often has the most dramatic impact on issues caught and addressed during childhood growth, but adults can benefit from it as well.

Adults with airway-related symptoms like snoring, sleep apnea, or chronic fatigue, often have underlying dental or jaw alignment issues that contribute to the problem. In many cases, these persist from childhood. Airway dentistry treatment options differ for adults, as their jaws have finished growing, but approaches like orthodontic alignment, oral appliances, and orthognathic surgery can still improve airway function and sleep quality.

If you’re an adult experiencing airway symptoms, it’s worth scheduling a dental and airway evaluation in Atlanta rather than assuming that treatment options will not be effective. At Atlanta Orthodontics Specialists, we’ll work closely with you to help create a treatment plan that can provide relief.

Many airway-related symptoms, like snoring, morning headaches, daytime fatigue, and dry mouth, can have multiple potential causes, which is part of the reason why airway issues can persist undiagnosed for years. A comprehensive airway evaluation that examines, specifically, the relationship between your dental and craniofacial structure and your airway is key.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, our airway evaluation process includes a detailed discussion of your symptoms, an oral examination, and imaging to assess your airway space and any structural factors that might be present. If we determine that dental or jaw-related factors are playing a role, we’ll develop a treatment plan. If your symptoms appear not to relate to oral or craniofacial structure, we can help direct you towards the right type of specialist.

The timeline for TMJ disorder treatment depends on the underlying causes and the specific approach. Some of our patients—particularly those who clench or grind their teeth—notice an improvement within days of starting to wear an occlusal guard or splint. For patients who experience TMJ because of misalignment of their teeth or bite, treatments like braces address the root causes but work more gradually, usually over the course of months. Complex cases with joint damage or that require multidisciplinary care can involve longer treatments and a combination of approaches.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, we’ll set a realistic timeline with you at your initial TMJ evaluation in Atlanta.

Absolutely—stress is one of the most common contributing factors to TMJ that we see in patients. When stress is present, many people respond by clenching or grinding their teeth, often during sleep. Over time, this repetitive pressure on your jaw joint and the surrounding muscles can lead to inflammation, pain, and the characteristic clicking or popping noises associated with TMJ disorders. To make matters worse, many people aren’t aware they’re clenching or grinding until symptoms like headaches or worn teeth become pronounced and force them to seek treatment.

While addressing stress is important, an occlusal guard can provide immediate protection by cushioning your teeth and reducing the pressure transferred to the jaw joint during clenching episodes. This makes it one of the most common and recommended treatments for TMJ disorders.

Yes. TMJ-related headaches are common, and many people don’t realize that their jaw joint can be the source of discomfort.

The muscles you use for jaw movement have deep connections to those in your temples, head, and neck. Thus, any tension or dysfunction in your temporomandibular joint can radiate outward as headache pain, usually described as a dull ache around the temples or behind the eyes. Oftentimes, people mistake this pain for tension headaches or migraines, leading many to seek treatment for the headache itself without addressing the underlying jaw issue.

If you suffer from frequent headaches, jaw clicking, soreness, or have difficulty opening your mouth, it’s worth meeting with an Atlanta orthodontist to have your jaw evaluated as a potential contributing factor.

TMJ doesn’t need to be a lifelong condition: for many people, its symptoms are manageable and resolvable with the right treatment. Mild cases caused by temporary stress or habits like clenching often see meaningful improvements once a patient has an occlusal guard and makes some simple lifestyle adjustments. Cases caused by bite misalignment are also permanently resolvable through orthodontic treatments like braces, while correcting the underlying issue instead of just managing symptoms. More complex cases that involve structural joint damage may require ongoing management or multidisciplinary care, but even then, treatment can reduce pain while significantly improving function.

As treatment depends on your specific, underlying causes, it’s imperative to receive a comprehensive “TMJ evaluation near me” that can identify the factors driving your symptoms.

While adults are more likely to develop TMJ disorders, children and teenagers can also experience them, often on account of differing causes. In younger patients, TMJ symptoms can stem from jaw growth discrepancies, uneven bites, habits like teeth grinding, and jaw trauma. Symptoms can also look different—rather than describing jaw discomfort, children may complain of ear pain, headaches, and difficulty opening their mouths wide.

If your child shows signs of jaw clicking, frequent headaches, or reports discomfort while chewing, it’s worth having their bite and jaw evaluated. Early corrections can prevent TMJ symptoms from persisting into their adult years.

Although they look similar, occlusal guards and splints serve different purposes. An occlusal guard, often called a night guard, is worn while sleeping to protect your teeth from the effects of clenching and grinding, acting as a cushion between your upper and lower teeth.

A splint, by contrast, is worn around-the-clock and helps to stabilize your jaw or teeth in a specific position to relieve discomfort, often as a part of a broader treatment plan built to address jaw alignment.

Your Atlanta orthodontist will determine which option (or combination of options) is appropriate for your specific TMJ symptoms.

Craniofacial treatment often begins early in life, sometimes within the first couple of weeks after birth for conditions like cleft lip and palate. During this time, our team may use presurgical techniques such as nasoalveolar molding before surgical repair. For other craniofacial conditions, treatment can begin in infancy or early childhood and continue in phases throughout your child’s growth, with orthodontic care, surgeries, and follow-up treatments spaced out over years.

As craniofacial conditions and their treatment needs can vary wildly, the right timing depends on your child’s specific diagnosis. Early evaluation by a team allows for a craniofacial treatment plan tailored to your child’s condition and timed to take advantage of their natural growth and development.

For many craniofacial conditions, yes: multiple surgeries, as opposed to a single procedure, are common. This is because craniofacial treatment often needs to keep pace with a child’s growth; a surgical correction performed in infancy, for example, may need to be refined as your child’s facial structure develops through adolescence. Moreover, our team addresses different aspects of craniofacial conditions like cleft repair, jaw alignment, and orthodontic correction in separate stages, each at the optimal time for that specific intervention.

Although multiple surgeries can initially feel overwhelming to parents, our multidisciplinary team at Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists can help ensure that each step builds towards the best possible long-term outcome.

Orthodontists play a critical role in craniofacial care, working alongside surgeons and other experts throughout the treatment process. Before surgical procedures, an Atlanta orthodontist will need to align your child’s teeth and jaws to prepare for surgery. This is similar to the preparatory work done before orthognathic surgery. Following the procedure, orthodontic treatments continue to help fine-tune the bite and alignment as healing progresses and your child grows. For some craniofacial conditions, orthodontists may also use tools like palatal expanders to address jaw width issues that contribute to the overall craniofacial presentation.

As craniofacial treatment lasts for years, your Atlanta orthodontist will become one of the most consistent members of your child’s care team.

Not always. While many craniofacial conditions like cleft lip and palate are visible at birth, others may not become evident until later in infancy or early childhood as growth patterns emerge. Conditions like craniosynostosis, for example, become apparent when a baby’s head shape doesn’t develop as expected. Nevertheless, this isn’t obvious in their first few days of life. Similarly, conditions like craniofacial dysplasia are usually diagnosed later in childhood, often between the ages of 3 and 15. During these years, symptoms like facial asymmetry and misaligned teeth often first become noticeable.

This reality is one of the reasons why ongoing pediatric checkups, including dental and orthodontic assessments, are so valuable. Scheduling a pediatric orthodontics consultation provides an opportunity to catch developing craniofacial concerns that may not have been apparent at birth.

Insurance coverage for craniofacial treatment depends on your child’s specific condition, the treatments involved, and your individual insurance plan.

Most insurance providers view craniofacial conditions as medical, not aesthetic, as they can impact functions like eating, breathing, and speech. Thus, many aspects of treatment have a reasonable likelihood of receiving insurance coverage, particularly when there’s documented functional impairment. That said, medical and dental insurance coverage can differ greatly, and certain components of treatment (just like specific orthodontic appliances) may fall into gray areas.

At Atlanta Orthodontic Specialists, we work closely with families to help them navigate insurance questions and identify financing options, when necessary.

The initial craniofacial consultation centers around information-gathering and building a clear picture of your child’s conditions and needs. To that end, our team will review medical and family history, perform a thorough evaluation, and discuss any concerns you may have as a parent.

As craniofacial treatment often involves multiple specialists, this first visit is also where we begin coordinating with other members of your child’s care team, including surgeons and pediatricians.

Rather than walking away with a single, fixed treatment plan, expect the first visit to be the starting point for an ongoing, flexible, and personalized roadmap.