The Questions We Hear Most
Honest, jargon-free answers to what patients and parents ask us every week. Don't see yours? Just give us a call — we love a good question.
Not at all. A beautiful smile is the headline result, but the health story is just as important. Crowded teeth are harder to clean, which can lead to decay, gum disease, and even tooth loss. An off-balance bite wears enamel unevenly and stresses the jaw joints — a common driver of headaches and facial pain. We think of orthodontics as preventive medicine for your mouth.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first screening around age 7. By then, most kids have a mix of baby and adult teeth, which lets us catch crossbites, crowding, or jaw-growth concerns early. An age-7 visit doesn't mean braces at age 7 — most children are simply monitored until the timing is right.
It's physics, gently applied. Brackets act as little handles bonded to your teeth, and the archwire is the engine that connects them, delivering steady, continuous pressure. Together they give Dr. Chung three-dimensional control over every tooth. When jaws need to come along too, we add tools like elastics or expanders to guide growth.
Every smile moves at its own pace, but most full cases finish between 18 and 24 months. Three things shape your timeline: how complex the bite is, how your tissues respond, and how consistently you wear elastics and avoid broken brackets. We'll give you a personalized estimate at your complimentary consultation.
Modern braces are gentler than the ones your parents grew up with. We use heat-activated wires that deliver soft, continuous pressure. Expect a little tenderness 24 to 48 hours after each adjustment — that's actually a good sign your bone is remodeling. Over-the-counter pain relievers and a soft-food day usually cover it.
Yes — though the result depends on the doctor, not the plastic. Dr. Chung may use aligners for complex bite issues like open bites and deep bites that were once considered braces-only territory. The difference is that a specialist designs the force system by hand rather than leaning on software defaults. A consultation is required to confirm whether or not clear aligners are recommended.
20 to 22 hours a day, every day. Pop them out only to eat, brush, and floss. Anything less and your teeth stop tracking with the plan — meaning treatment stretches longer than it should.
Most likely, yes. We're in-network with the major PPOs — Delta Dental, Cigna, MetLife, Aetna, Guardian, and more. We'll verify your specific orthodontic benefit before you start and handle the billing paperwork from there.
Most patients move through two main stages. The Active Stage is when braces or aligners are on the job — moving teeth and aligning jaws. The Retention Stage starts the day they come off, and retention is for life. A few younger patients benefit from a two-phase plan: an early intervention to guide growth, a pause, then a final round once all the adult teeth arrive.