Why You Need to Find an Orthodontist Open on Saturday
Your life is full of work, school, sports, and other things. It’s not always easy to make appointments during the week to take care of your teeth. You might have major exams that are coming up, or you have an important work project that is due. That’s why finding an orthodontist open on Saturday is so important. You don’t have to compromise your dental care nor do you have to rearrange your work or school schedule any more. Whether you need it for yourself or for your kids, an appointment on Saturday can make everything so much easier in your life.
Orthodontic treatment on weekends
So why do you need braces near me, and why should you have to fit this one more thing into your life? You might have missing teeth, or your teen might have a bite alignment problem. You shouldn’t put off a visit to an orthodontist near me open Saturday because you think your teeth are merely cosmetic. While it is true that your smile is part of your overall appearance, it is also a part of a much bigger picture. Your teeth are the first part of your digestive system, and being able to chew properly is important. If your teeth don’t line up correctly, you won’t be able to chew correctly either.
Also, if your teeth are wearing down incorrectly due to misalignment, called a malocclusion, they won’t last as long, and you may need to have some extensive work done later in life. Getting your bite alignment corrected now by an orthodontist open Saturday near me might be a bit of an investment, but it will be so worth it in the end. How?
Braces work by gently moving the teeth through the jaw material (bone but of a different sort than your arms or legs) into their new and permanent positions. They apply gentle pressure to the teeth which is why it takes several months or even a couple of years to finish. The main components of braces are a series of brackets attached to the teeth and a thin piece of metal called an arch wire that runs through them that helps the movement actually happen. If a bracket breaks off, you need to get it fixed as soon as you can see your orthodontist with Saturday hours. Or, if you have ceramic braces and the actual bracket breaks, it’s time to get it replaced as soon as possible at your orthodontist Saturday appointments.
Other components of braces include headgear. The headgear connects to the braces via tubes on the brackets on the back molars. Headgear adjustments for kids sometimes need to happen on the weekends. If any of these get loosened or damaged, you don’t want to have to wait for Monday to get this problem fixed. Finding an orthodontist open on Saturday means you can get in and get the problem solved.
Kids sometimes also need palate expanders that help with correcting bite or overcrowding problems. Being able to get braces as a child or teen helps because the jaw bone is not fully set and it is not done growing. Plus, being able to keep up with class work or exams and still get this work done is going to keep your child on the right track. Look for an orthodontist near me that have Saturday hours that offer full services on the weekends.
Once the braces come off, you or your child may need to wear retainers so the teeth can stabilize in their new places and not move back. You don’t want to have worn braces and gone through all the discomfort and cost only to have the work all get erased. You want to be able to keep that new healthy smile. Adults might actually need to wear a retainer at night for the rest of their lives because the bones and the material in the jaw are set and it is harder to move the teeth through all of that. If that retainer breaks, you won’t want to go without it, so getting a replacement ordered on the weekend helps you keep those great teeth. Orthodontists open on Saturday are great for busy adults who just don’t have time during the week.
Why Saturday hours matter
Saturday office hours make things so much more convenient! You don’t have to fit your orthodontia into your life, rearranging activities and meetings just to get to your appointment. Some orthodontists will have Saturday hours once a month. Many orthodontists now are making at least Saturday morning appointments available up to noon, but others are offering full hours on Saturdays – and even some on Sundays. For offices that do offer appointments, they don’t short their hours during the rest of the week so you can still find mid-week appointments.
And, some orthodontists open on Saturday near me are even offering extended weekday hours – from 7am to 7pm or from 1pm to 7pm – so you can find weekday appointments that work. It helps you find appointment times that fit your life. An office that has more than one orthodontist is far more likely to offer appointments during extended hours since working 12 hour days during the week and 8 more on Saturday can get tiring for just one person.
When the office is open, these orthodontists are offering full services on Saturdays, including for braces and for clear aligners. Plus, if you have an emergency, it’s nice to be able to call and get in right away to fix the problem. It’s important when looking for an orthodontist open on Saturday to ask if they do provide full services.
When it comes to types of braces, there are the traditional metal or ceramic kinds, and then there are clear aligners. There is a technology called the iTero Scanner that can be used for clear aligners and helping determine what you will need. It syncs with Invisalign so you have a reduced problem with fit and also you can see what your teeth will look like when the treatment is all complete. It also helps speed up your check in visits. Ask your orthodontist if you can get this on Saturdays. No matter what kind of orthodontic treatment you want or need, everything should be available on the weekends, both traditional and innovative.
You can also look for pediatric dentists and orthodontists open on Saturday so you can not only have an appointment that fits your schedule, but it is also with someone who understands kids and caters to their needs. And, if you need any work done also, you can look for a pediatric and parent dentist or orthodontist open on Saturday. Pediatric orthodontists will also often be available on school holidays or during spring break so you can make appointments that are convenient for you whenever that might be. Another reason to choose a pediatric specialist is that they might also have training for special needs kids and adults. Being able to make special needs kids feel calm is a gift and not all dentists and orthodontists have gone through this training.
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What to expect in the office
If you can find an orthodontist with Saturday hours office near your child’s school, what a bonus that can be, too! Some orthodontists strategically locate themselves near schools so they are easy to get to right after school or before classes start. There should also be ample parking at your orthodontist – few things can be more frustrating than making it on time for your appointment only to be stuck circling the small lot trying to find some place to park.
When you are looking for an orthodontist with extended hours, you should ask a few questions, or look on the website for these answers. Does your orthodontist open on Saturday near me use the most modern equipment available? Can they provide digital X-rays for instant results? And are the X-rays done onsite? Does having digital X-rays mean you can get braces done the same day, adding to your convenience and time saving? There are also other diagnostic tools that can produce the images needed to create the treatment plan and avoid any sort of invasive techniques like those used while creating bite wing X-rays at the dentist. For kids this can be uncomfortable because the plastic pieces are large and they can cut into the mouth tissue.
Then there is the office. Orthodontia can be scary for kids, and because braces can be uncomfortable, going to the orthodontist open on Saturday can make for unpleasant memories. The Saturday orthodontist office should be a calm place that doesn’t add to the anxiety. And, everyone should be patient enough to answer your kid’s questions or explain what is going to happen. Knowledge is powerful and it can also keep your kid from being anxious.
The office should be clean and inviting. If it is a place that specializes in pediatric dentistry and orthodontia, it should be designed for kids. Everyone who works there should be caring and talented, even on the weekend. You should never have to deal with anyone who is less than professional just because it is a Saturday. They should be able to explain everything just as fully as you would receive during the week.
You may be able to find an orthodontist open Saturday near me office that offers virtual visits for the initial consultation. You can take pictures and send in your information for the orthodontist to review and give you an initial idea of what you will be looking at in terms of treatment. This will not be as comprehensive as an in-person exam, so know that the final length of time and dollar amount of the treatment may be different. You will still want to schedule an in-office appointment to get the full exam and diagnosis, but at least you will have something to keep in mind for your budget.
If you have any questions or want to know if a particular treatment is available at your orthodontist’s office, you should feel comfortable calling and asking. The staff should be happy to answer your questions and explain what treatment options are possible.
No matter whether your need for braces is something you inherited, or something that happened because of a missing tooth or other issue, your orthodontist open on Saturday office should make you feel comfortable about your treatment from the moment you walk in the door until you are all done with your orthodontia.
Paying for braces
There are often payment plans that you can qualify for that allow you to break out the cost of treatment over time without paying any interest so you can afford the braces or clear aligners you need. And you shouldn’t have to pay more for the convenience of orthodontist Saturday appointments. Be sure to ask at your orthodontist open on Saturday office to make sure that Saturday times are the same price.
Many orthodontists near me open Saturday offer a free initial consultation, and for those that also have Saturday appointments available, you can get the initial visit on the weekends also, including the initial exam and any radiograms or scans.
Check to see if you can use insurance for your orthodontic care, particularly for children or teenagers. Many times this helps cover as much as half the cost of braces or clear aligners. This includes private insurance as well as Tricare for military and their families. You can also check to see if your state’s Medicaid coverage takes care of orthodontic treatments for your kids.
In summary
You shouldn’t need to miss valuable class time to get to the orthodontist open on Saturday, or choose between work and dental care. Missing important events can be very stressful, but also missing orthodontic appointments can set your treatment back. Isn’t it nice to no longer have to choose? You can have the beautiful smile that is possible and gain that self-confidence back. Ask your orthodontist about Saturday appointments and payment options for the care you need.
