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How can I make a same-day appointment with an Orthodontist in Tampa?
On average, patients who use Zocdoc can search for an Orthodontist in Tampa, book an appointment, and see the Orthodontist within 24 hours. Same-day appointments are often available, you can search for real-time availability of Orthodontists in Tampa who accept your insurance and make an appointment online.
How can I find a Tampa Orthodontist who takes my insurance?
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for a Tampa Orthodontist who takes your insurance. Just choose your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. If you’re not sure which plan you have, you can use Zocdoc’s insurance checker to find out.
How can I book an appointment online with an Orthodontist in Tampa?
Zocdoc is a free online service that helps patients find Orthodontists in Tampa and book appointments instantly. You can search for Tampa Orthodontists by symptom or visit reason. Then, choose your insurance plan. Based on that information, you’ll see a list of providers who meet your search criteria, along with their available appointment slots.
How can I find a female Orthodontist in Tampa?
When you search for Tampa Orthodontists on Zocdoc, you can filter your results by gender, in addition to other criteria. That way, you’ll only see Orthodontists in Tampa who match your preferences.
How can I find a Tampa Orthodontist who sees patients after hours?
On Zocdoc, you can search specifically for Tampa Orthodontists with availability after 5 p.m.
How can I find a top-rated Orthodontist in Tampa?
You can use Zocdoc to find Orthodontists in Tampa who are highly rated by other patients. These ratings are based on verified reviews submitted by real patients. Every time a patient completes an appointment booked on Zocdoc, they’re invited to review their experience. Each review must comply with Zocdoc’s guidelines.
How can I find a video visit with an Orthodontist online in Tampa?
Orthodontists in Tampa on Zocdoc who see patients through online video visits will have a purple video icon on their profiles. You can also filter your search results to show only Orthodontists who offer video visits.
Are video visits with an Orthodontist online covered by my insurance?
Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same cost as in-person visits. You can search on Zocdoc specifically for Orthodontists in Tampa who accept your insurance for video visits by selecting your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. We recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits.
How can I find an Orthodontist in Tampa who sees patients in the morning or evening?
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for an Orthodontist who has appointments available before 10:00 am, or after 5:00 pm. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page.
How can I find an Orthodontist in Tampa who sees patients during the weekend?
Zocdoc let's you see real-time availability for Orthodontists in Tampa. Many Orthodontists offer appointments on Saturdays and Sundays.
Who is an orthodontist?
An orthodontist is a dental care professional specializing in diagnosing, preventing, and treating teeth and jaw irregularities. Although orthodontists are more popular for straightening teeth, they can also help with sore and misaligned bites and tooth movement resulting from unhealthy habits like thumb sucking. They use dental devices, such as retainers, bands, or braces, to align teeth. Orthodontists treat dental abnormalities like crooked teeth and bite problems, including overbite and underbite, jaw misalignment, crowded teeth, or far-spaced teeth.
What training and education do orthodontists undergo?
Orthodontists are specialized dentists. They must complete an undergraduate (bachelor's) degree and four years of dental college to practice dentistry. After dental school, orthodontists follow a path similar to that of a medical specialist or surgeon. They must complete a residency program of two to three years in orthodontics. Additional training is necessary as most dental schools offer only limited orthodontic education.
Aspiring orthodontists must pursue advanced dental programs, which typically focus on two specific areas - dentofacial orthopedics and orthodontics. During this program, dentists receive intensive instruction to learn correct and safe tooth movements and how to guide the development of the teeth, jaw, and face. Advanced dental education in orthodontics typically takes approximately 24 to 36 months.
Some orthodontists may also choose to become board-certified specialists. In the United States, orthodontists who have graduated from fully accredited residency programs can be certified by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO). Board-certified orthodontists are generally referred to as Diplomates.
When should you see an orthodontist?
Adults should schedule an appointment with an orthodontist if they have concerns regarding their teeth' appearance, function, or health. You can also visit your general dentist, who can refer you to an orthodontist if deemed necessary.
Following are the five primary signs that you should see an orthodontist:
- Teeth alignment - A crooked smile often lowers an individual's self-confidence. Anytime is a good time to straighten your smile.
- Gaps in teeth - Gaps in teeth may be due to various reasons, such as teeth loss by accident, teeth removed due to infection or natural gaps in teeth being wider than usual. An orthodontist can reduce or fix this gap using braces or trays.
- Overcrowded teeth - The condition occurs when too many teeth develop in the same space. This overcrowding leads to long-term problems. An orthodontist will remove one or more teeth and use braces to align the rest teeth.
- Teeth grinding - Sometimes, our upper and lower teeth grind against each other due to stress or older habits. This habit causes our jaws to be sore. If you notice this problem with your child, you must visit an orthodontist immediately.
- Bite issues - Malocclusion or misaligned bites are of four types: Underbite, Overbite, Crossbite, and Open Bite. The bite issues affect the shape of the face and can lead to other issues such as clenching, grinding, speech problems, and headaches.
When taking children to an orthodontist for the first time, there isn't any specific age. However, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that kids see an orthodontist at the age of seven. Orthodontists can quickly locate a problem in children as they would have enough permanent teeth by that age. Some issues, such as an overbite or an underbite, may be apparent. However, others may not be visible to the untrained eye. Therefore, visiting an orthodontist for a complete mouth checkup is advisable.
What are some popular treatments used to fix misaligned teeth?
The following are the most common treatments pursued to fix misaligned teeth -
- Metal Braces - Metal braces are the most popular and oldest treatment for misaligned teeth. These are small metal brackets that are bound to the teeth with the help of dental adhesives. In addition, an orthodontic wire is used to tighten all of the braces together to put pressure on the teeth.
- Ceramic Braces - Ceramic braces work just like the metal ones, with the difference that ceramic braces are either clear or tooth-colored to make them less noticeable.
- Porcelain Veneers - These are the chip-like dental materials attached to the teeth' surface. These are mostly used when the misalignment is minor or occurs among a few front teeth. The misaligned area of the tooth is shaved to build a framework for applying veneers.
- Invisalign - Invisalign or clear aligners are transparent trays that are customized based on the size of the teeth structure of the patient. These aligners are unnoticeable and removable. Doctors recommend removing them while eating and brushing.
- Dental Implants - Dental implants are a new set of properly aligned teeth. The treatment is used when the misalignment results from a broken or lost tooth.
Types of braces
Braces are a common treatment for various orthodontic issues like misaligned, crowded, or gapped teeth, as well as malocclusion. Your orthodontist will recommend specific braces based on your condition. The different kinds of braces are -
- Metal braces - Traditional metal braces consist of stainless steel brackets attached to teeth, connected by a thin wire. Small elastic bands or ligatures secure the wire, and adjustments by the orthodontist gradually align the teeth. Patients can choose tooth-colored or brightly colored ligatures for a personalized touch.
- Ceramic braces - They are the same as metal braces but have tooth-colored brackets, wires, and ligatures, making them less noticeable. However, they are more prone to breakage. They are also known as clear braces.
- Lingual braces - These are fixed on the back of teeth, making them nearly invisible from the front. Despite their discreet appearance, they are more challenging to clean and adjust than traditional braces.
- Self-ligating braces - These braces use a built-in clip to secure the wire instead of elastic bands, reducing pressure on teeth and requiring fewer adjustments.
- Clear aligners - Clear aligners are custom-made trays that gradually shift teeth into the desired position. These are removable and can be taken out for eating, drinking, and brushing, offering a more flexible and discreet option.
Feel free to consult with an orthodontist near you to explore the most suitable treatment for your specific needs.
What is the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist?
General dentists undergo training to diagnose and treat various oral conditions, including gums, teeth, tongue, and mouth issues. On the other hand, orthodontists, while having the same foundational training, pursue additional education to specialize in diagnosing and treating misalignments affecting the teeth and jaws. Consider your dentist as a primary care provider for your oral health, addressing general concerns, while your orthodontist serves as a specialist.
What to expect at an orthodontist appointment?
Orthodontic problems such as misaligned teeth are likely to be spotted by a dentist before they refer you to an orthodontist.
At your appointment, you can expect your orthodontist to first ask you questions about whether you have trouble swallowing or chewing. They may conduct an oral exam using certain dental instruments to view your teeth. They may also do a panoramic (360-degree) X-ray of the face and head to check below the surface of your teeth. This helps to look for extra teeth, impacted teeth, missing teeth, or teeth coming into the wrong positions.
Your orthodontist or technician may also make a mold and take an impression of your teeth. This is done by pressing gooey material into your top and bottom teeth. The mold, when removed, displays a perfect impression of the shape and size of your teeth. It will help your orthodontist decide how to straighten the teeth.
Overall, the tests performed by your orthodontist will determine the kind of treatment you need and how long you may need it.
Foods to avoid during an orthodontic treatment
The orthodontic treatments to align your teeth are time-consuming, and the most challenging aspect of this treatment is to avoid some foods. Foods that are sticky or can get stuck in your braces should be completely avoided. These include
- hard foods (nuts and candies)
- sticky foods (chewing gum)
- crunchy foods (popcorn, chips, and ice)
- chewy foods (bagels and licorice)
- food that requires biting into (corn on the cob)
Finding the best orthodontist near you in Tampa
The most challenging part of orthodontic treatment is finding a reliable and experienced orthodontist near you. If you are searching for an orthodontist in Tampa, you can use the Zocdoc website or app to find the best orthodontist in Tampa, Florida. Zocdoc makes booking an appointment online hassle-free. You may search for orthodontists in Tampa who accept your insurance in real-time and book an appointment online. If you need more clarification about your insurance plan, you can use Zocdoc's insurance checker to find out.
If you cannot book an appointment due to time constraints, you can search for orthodontists available after office hours or on weekends.
Zocdoc provides a comprehensive list of doctors in your locality. The platform provides relevant details about the doctors, such as their qualifications, gender, certificates and achievements, available time slots, and experience. You may also use Zocdoc to identify orthodontists near you with a high patient rating in Tampa. These rankings are from verified reviews provided by actual patients. When patients complete a Zocdoc appointment, they rate their experience on the Zocdoc website.
All bookings on Zocdoc are free, secure, and safe.
Statistics of oral health in Florida
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), around 10,658 orthodontists are operating in the United States as of 2017. This equates to about 3.27 orthodontists per 100,000 people. Florida has an average of 3,809 residents per general dentistry practice, which exceeds the current national average of 3,434. The 2017 orthodontic workforce report by the American Association of Orthodontists reported that Florida had approximately 2.71 % professionally active orthodontists per 100,000 population. Moreover, about 5.5 million Floridians live in areas with little or no access to dental care. As of 2019, there were 240 dental health professional shortage areas in Florida.
According to the KidCare Evaluation Final Report (Brishke et al., 2020), only 31.8% of six to nine-year-old children at high caries risk in Florida received dental sealants in 2019. According to a survey of third-grade kids from 42 Florida elementary schools, 45.5 percent had caries, and 25.1 percent had untreated decay.
According to The State of Oral Health in Florida by the Florida Institute for Health Innovation, tooth decay is the most prevalent chronic disease among children. In addition, the oral health data show that 24% of 3 to 6-year-old children had untreated decay during 2017-2018. In 2018, approximately 65.7% of adults visited a dental clinic, among which 45.8% of individuals had gum diseases.
Sources
American Association of Orthodontists[1]
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Florida Institute for Health Innovation
American Association of Orthodontists[2]
American Association of Orthodontists[3]
American Dental Education Association
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.