Skip to content
COMPLIMENTARY CONSULT
  • (304) 201-3672
  • Payment Calculator
  • Refer a Patient
  • Our Practice
    • Who We Are
    • What Makes Us Different
    • Meet Our Doctors
    • Meet Our Team
    • Technology
    • Community Involvement
    • Refer a Patient
    • Patient Reviews
  • Orthodontics
        • Braces
          • Types Of Braces
          • Braces For Kids
          • Braces For Teens
          • Braces For Adults
          • Braces FAQ
          • Payment Calculator
        • Invisalign
          • About Invisalign
          • Invisalign For Kids
          • Invisalign For Teens
          • Invisalign For Adults
          • Invisalign FAQ
          • Payment Calculator
        • Other Treatments
          • Early Orthodontics
          • Brava Independent Movers
          • Gum Contouring & Reshaping
          • Enamel Shaping
          • Zoom Whitening
  • Patient Resources
    • Your First Visit
    • Patient Forms
    • Refer a Patient
    • Brace Bucks
    • 7andUp Kids Club
    • Financial Information
    • Orthodontic Emergencies
    • Orthodontic FAQ
    • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Info
    • Charleston, WV
    • Hurricane, WV
    • Huntington, WV
    • Ashland, KY
  • COMPLIMENTARY CONSULT
  • Our Practice
    • Who We Are
    • What Makes Us Different
    • Meet Our Doctors
    • Meet Our Team
    • Technology
    • Community Involvement
    • Refer a Patient
    • Patient Reviews
  • Orthodontics
    • Braces
      • Types Of Braces
      • Braces For Kids
      • Braces For Teens
      • Braces For Adults
      • Braces FAQ
      • Payment Calculator
    • Invisalign
      • About Invisalign
      • Invisalign For Kids
      • Invisalign For Teens
      • Invisalign For Adults
      • Invisalign FAQ
      • Payment Calculator
    • Other Treatments
      • Early Orthodontics
      • Brava Independent Movers
      • Gum Contouring & Reshaping
      • Enamel Shaping
      • Zoom Whitening
  • Patient Resources
    • Your First Visit
    • Patient Forms
    • Refer a Patient
    • Brace Bucks
    • 7andUp Kids Club
    • Financial Information
    • Orthodontic Emergencies
    • Orthodontic FAQ
    • Blog
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Info
    • Charleston, WV
    • Hurricane, WV
    • Huntington, WV
    • Ashland, KY
  • (304) 407-3371
  • Payment Calculator
  • Refer a Patient
Complimentary Consult
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Tiktok
  • Youtube

Orthodontic FAQ

Home » Patient Resources » Orthodontic FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions About Orthodontics

What Is An Orthodontist?

An orthodontist is a dentist who has gone through additional schooling on helping patients with dental alignment and bite problems, as well as training on fitting patients with corrective braces and other orthodontic appliances. If you need orthodontic treatment, you should always choose an experienced orthodontist, not a general dentist.

What Is Orthodontics?

Orthodontics is a specialized area of dentistry that focuses on treating irregularities in alignment and occlusion (bite) of the teeth and jaws, often incorporating appliances such as braces to shift them into a more ideal position.

Why Should I Choose An Orthodontic Specialist?

Orthodontic treatment makes permanent changes to your teeth and sometimes even the shape of your face, so it’s crucial that only an orthodontist addresses these changes. They have the education, training, and experience to provide their patients with the right results.

Do I Have To Schedule My First Orthodontic Appointment Through My Dentist?

While general dentists often refer their patients to a trusted orthodontist, you do not need a dentist referral in order to schedule your initial consultation with us!

What Happens At An Initial Consultation?

An initial orthodontic consultation is a fact-finding appointment. You will fill out some light paperwork to help us understand your oral health history and get a good idea of your treatment goals. Our team will take x-rays to get a complete picture of what’s going on in the patient’s mouth unless the patient can provide recent x-rays from the general dentist. We will then perform an examination of the mouth to see how the teeth align and perform.

Once all the information has been gathered, it will be time to start discussing treatment options, including an estimation of how long the treatment will take and a quote of the cost of treatment. If the appointment is for a minor child, a parent or legal guardian must be present.

Won’t My Teeth Straighten Out Over Time?

Unfortunately, no. In fact, teeth tend to grow more crooked with age, not less. Biting down with poorly aligned teeth can encourage them to shift even farther from their ideal position.

How Long Does Orthodontic Treatment Last?

The length of treatment depends on each patient’s orthodontic problems, but it will typically range from eight months to two and a half years. The best way to have the shortest possible treatment time is to follow your orthodontist’s instructions exactly.

How Often Will I Have Appointments?

Appointments vary depending on the patient’s needs, but most patients with braces will come every eight to ten weeks.

Am I Too Old For Orthodontic Treatment?

No patient is too old to wear braces! In fact, a quarter of all orthodontic patients are out of their teens, so don’t feel like you missed your chance for straight teeth just because you didn’t get braces in high school!

When Should My Child Be Seen By An Orthodontist?

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends a child’s first orthodontist appointment should be at the age of 7. For a vast majority of patients, this isn’t the beginning of treatment but it does allow us to set a baseline to monitor growth and development and plan for the absolute best time to begin treatment (if needed). We believe in a conservative approach to treatment and maintain an Age Appropriate Treatment philosophy that most patients’ orthodontic care can be completed in one stage at adolescence.

Our 7andUp Kids Club allows our younger patients a chance to participate in all the special events, prize giveaways, and promotions being offered. Our doctors are able to monitor the development and growth of the child while providing a fun and comfortable environment for each patient. The best part of our 7andUp Kids Club is that each appointment for monitoring their development is completely complimentary! Costs are only incurred when orthodontic treatment begins.

What Happens If A Bracket Breaks?

If a bracket breaks, you should call our office right away to schedule an emergency appointment. We can usually find time to reattach or replace the bracket quickly. Do not wait until your next regular appointment to do something about a broken bracket, as this could have a negative effect on your treatment.

REQUEST A CONSULT

LET’S GET STARTED!

Complimentary consult
Patient reviews

EVERY SMILE TELLS A SPECIAL STORY

We are thankful for the opportunity to serve our community with excellent care and take pride in our mission of having a patient-centered philosophy. Check out what our patients are saying about us!

READ more
Sheri S.
I went to Holmes & Palmer, Huntington office for a consultation about my shifting adult teeth. The staff was professional and knowledgeable. They came up with a plan for me and got started on it right away. I was impressed by their modern equipment. No dental impressions were needed, thanks to their up-to-date cameras!
Sheri S.
I went to Holmes & Palmer, Huntington office for a consultation about my shifting adult teeth. The staff was professional and knowledgeable. They came up with a plan for me and got started on it right away. I was impressed by their modern equipment. No dental impressions were needed, thanks to their up-to-date cameras!
Crystal C.
Very professional. All the staff were very nice and friendly. Definitely glad we chose Holmes & Palmer
Crystal C.
Very professional. All the staff were very nice and friendly. Definitely glad we chose Holmes & Palmer
Lisa L.
We visited the Charleston office with this visit instead of Teays Valley. We were just as impressed there! The same staff and just as clean office! I would definitely recommend this office to anyone! We’ve had a great experience with braces!
Lisa L.
We visited the Charleston office with this visit instead of Teays Valley. We were just as impressed there! The same staff and just as clean office! I would definitely recommend this office to anyone! We’ve had a great experience with braces!
carrie M.
We absolutely love the staff at the Huntington office! Always so friendly and helpful.
carrie M.
We absolutely love the staff at the Huntington office! Always so friendly and helpful.
Tabytha C.
This is our family's main location! We love them for our kids dental needs! Friendly staff, great care!
Tabytha C.
This is our family's main location! We love them for our kids dental needs! Friendly staff, great care!
Tabytha C.
We love Holmes and Palmer for our children's dental needs! Friendly staff, very professional!
Tabytha C.
We love Holmes and Palmer for our children's dental needs! Friendly staff, very professional!
Sara E.
We had our consult for our son with Dr. Holmes today. We left confident with a plan of action to address our son’s needs. Super impressed with the whole staff!
Stephanie M.
Brittany did an amazing job putting on my son’s braces and explaining the whole process, all the care, what to watch for and what not to do! He said that wasn’t the worst 2 hours of his life!! Lol as a parent I’m extremely thankful for her and all the amazing staff!!!- griffin smith!
Stephanie M.
Brittany did an amazing job putting on my son’s braces and explaining the whole process, all the care, what to watch for and what not to do! He said that wasn’t the worst 2 hours of his life!! Lol as a parent I’m extremely thankful for her and all the amazing staff!!!- griffin smith!
Our locations

Come by one of Our offices

  • Charleston, WV
  • 867 Oakwood Road
    Charleston, WV 25314
  • (304) 343-3672
Huntington office
  • Hurricane (Teays Valley), WV
  • 3659 Teays Valley Road Suite 200
    Hurricane, WV 25526
  • (304) 201-3672
Hurricane office
  • Huntington, WV
  • 451 Kinetic Drive Suite 200
    Huntington, WV 25701
  • (304) 343-3672
Charleston office
  • Ashland, KY
  • 2000 Carter Ave.
    Ashland, KY 41101
  • 606-388-2561

Charleston

Hurricane

Huntington

Ashland

Complimentary Consult

QUICK LINKS

Main Menu
  • Our Practice
  • Orthodontics
  • Patient Resources
  • Contact Us

LOCATIONS

  • Charleston, WV
  • Hurricane, WV
  • Huntington, WV
  • Ashland, KY
  • (304) 201-3672

CONTACT HOURS

Monday8:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday8:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesday8:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday8:00am – 5:00pm
Friday8:00am – 11:00am

FOLLOW US

Complimentary Consult
© Copyright 2025 Holmes & Palmer Orthodontics | Privacy Policy | Sitemap | Accessibility

Marketing & Web Design by HIP