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Board Certified Orthodontic Specialist

November 12th, 2020

Board Certified Orthodontic Specialist

Did you know that Dr. Linaker is a Diplomate with the American Board of Orthodontists and is one of only a handful of Orthodontists in the Tucson area who are Board Certified through the ABO?

Are most Orthodontists Board Certified?

No. All orthodontists must be licensed to practice, but at this time only 1 in 3 orthodontists have continued on to complete Board Certification. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) certification process signifies a unique achievement—a significant step beyond the two to three years of advanced education required for a dentist to become a specialist in orthodontics. The process requires the orthodontist to demonstrate actual accomplishments in patient care with detailed case reports on the treatment provided for a broad range of patient problems. Board certification is a voluntary achievement that all orthodontists do not choose to pursue. In order to become board certified by the ABO, an individual orthodontist is thoroughly interviewed by a highly respected panel of examiners to demonstrate their orthodontic knowledge, clinical skills and judgment.

How many certifying boards are recognized by the American Dental
Association in the specialty of orthodontics?

One. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) is the only certifying board in the specialty that is recognized by the American Dental Association. The ABO was founded in 1929 and is the oldest specialty board in dentistry. The board’s purpose is to elevate the quality of orthodontic care for the public by promoting excellence through certification, education and professional collaboration.

Why would an orthodontist choose to complete this voluntary certification process?

Successful completion of the examination process demonstrates the orthodontist’s highest commitment to excellence in orthodontics – to both the orthodontic profession and the general public. It represents a commitment by a licensed specialist that he/she has the necessary knowledge base and skills to treat patients to the highest of standards. It exemplifies a practitioner’s commitment to continue to keep abreast of the latest advances in patient care, and to continue to deliver these latest advances to patients. Many orthodontists see it as a demonstration of their dedication to the specialty and the highest level of personal achievement.

What steps are required to complete the ABO certification process?

Since the establishment of the ABO in 1929, the certification process requirements have continued to adjust to the demands of the specialty. Today, the process involves a thorough Written Examination (240 questions) covering all areas of information which an orthodontist should be knowledgeable. Successful completion of this “board exam” allows the orthodontist to proceed to the Clinical Examination where they present detailed case reports from their practice/residency, demonstrating a history of excellence in patient care. These cases are evaluated by a panel of examiners and later discussed during an oral examination where the applicant is tested on a wide variety of academic and clinical topics. After successful completion of these examinations, the orthodontist has officially achieved Board Certification, for a time‐limited period. The orthodontist must go through Certification Renewal every 10 years to maintain their certification status by demonstrating this continued level of patient care.

For further information about The American Board of Orthodontics and Board Certification, click here.

Do I Have Orthodontic Insurance and How Does it Work?

April 2nd, 2019

The first question will be easy enough to find out, the second can be a bit complicated.

Orthodontic insurance is separate from medical and dental. If you have dental insurance, it’s quite possible that you have Orthodontic benefits however Orthodontic benefits are separate from your normal dental insurance with your general dentist. There are a few medical plans that have orthodontic benefits only if the braces are medically necessary.

Orthodontic benefits are paid over the course of the treatment and normally have a lifetime maximum per patient. The average time for orthodontic treatment is 24 months. In that case, your benefit would be paid over 24 months. Only 1% of insurance companies pay your orthodontic benefit in full in one payment.

Orthodontic benefits work in several ways:
The most common benefit is payable at a percentage with a lifetime maximum of a certain amount. For example: payable at 50% with a lifetime maximum of $1500 per person. This means if your treatment is $4000 they will pay $1500 total. Additionally, they will not pay their amount in full as they know most treatment plans may take anywhere from 18 to 30 months so most orthodontic plans usually pay one of 2 ways; either half of their benefit at the beginning and half one year later, or a percentage at the beginning and then monthly payments throughout the course of your treatment.

If you change employers and/or insurance companies during the course of your orthodontic treatment we need to know right away.

If you are working for the same employer and that employer changes insurance companies during your orthodontic treatment, we can submit a claim to the new insurance company. That claim will be prorated according to the date the braces were put on and the number of months required. The new insurance company will consider how many months the prior insurance company has paid and how many months are left of treatment. In this case, usually, the new insurance company will pick up the payments where the other company has left off. We say ‘usually’ because when you have the same employer, your benefits should continue even though your employer has changed insurance companies. But, in some cases, there might be a pre-existing clause in your new benefit and the new insurance company will not continue payments. If this is the case, you may personally want to try to appeal to get your full benefit from your employer.

If you change employers, your benefit from the first employer will be stopped automatically and they will not pay any more at that point. You can submit a claim to your new insurance company from your new employer and location. If your new plan allows for “Ortho Work in Progress”, the new insurance should pick up payments when you send in a claim and submit the amount of months left of treatment. Sometimes this is not covered due to a pre-existing clause in your new benefit.

Additionally, since Insurance companies do not pay their portion of your benefit in full, if you drop your Orthodontic coverage they will stop payments at that time and you will not receive the full benefit which means at that point you will be responsible for that full amount.

In a nutshell: Insurance can be complicated for orthodontic treatment due to the length of treatment and different plan types. It is important to know your benefit, lifetime maximum, how it is paid and at what percentage. We are happy to help you navigate the details of your Insurance Company but we ask that if there are any changes, or even if you are contemplating making a change, let us know right away so we may help you receive your maximum benefit.

Straight Talk About Braces for Adults

November 11th, 2014

Thinking about getting braces? Experts say it's never too late. These days, adults make up nearly half of orthodontic patients hoping to finally get the perfect smile they've always dreamed about.

Braces have evolved considerably in the last 15 years. Breathe easy, the days of being a true "metal mouth" are over and more lightweight and cosmetically friendly options are out there.

"The [brackets] are smaller and we don't use all the bands or appliances that wrap all the way around [the tooth] like we used to. Now, we use bonded brackets that are a lot smaller or the clear braces that are a lot more cosmetic as far as their appearance," Michael Sebastian, DDS, an orthodontist in Atlanta, tells WebMD. Sebastian says this and less pain and time associated with wearing braces have more adults making the plunge. Sebastian says adults can expect to wear braces an average of 12 to 20 months.

Bracing for Braces

But why now? Maybe the reason is as an adult you can afford braces when your parents couldn't or you are simply more conscious of the cosmetic and health benefits of having straight teeth.

Most people want a great smile, and adults know that it can make a great difference not only in their personal but also their professional lives. Many say the payoff is worth the temporary inconvenience and expense of braces.

"Patients that I see now, I think there's an initial concern, but if they really and truly want the braces, they're not that concerned once they make the decision. Once they've made up their mind to get them, they fall right in because they either know someone that had them before or they've seen their kids go through it and they want the same thing for themselves," says Duane Anglin, DDS, a dentist outside of Baltimore who decided to get braces during dental school. He says he has no regrets.

"From a professional standpoint, I think I'm a lot more comfortable walking in the room and saying hello, good morning, and meeting a new patient for the first time, because in the back of my mind it was always, 'How am I going to be a dentist and have teeth that are not straight?'" he says.

Sebastian says age shouldn't be a worry. He says as people live longer, he sees more adults of all ages interested in preserving their teeth. Senior citizens are even becoming more common in his practice.

The Healthy Smile

Dental professionals say there are also health reasons for having a correct bite.

"With teeth that are in cross bite, teeth that are misaligned, there is an increased chance of plaque buildup, food buildup in between your teeth, which is a trickle-down effect because the more food buildup, the more plaque; therefore, the more concern for periodontal disease and gum disease," Anglin tells WebMD. Improper bite also means you can't chew food properly, which can lead to gastrointestinal problems, he says.

So how do you get that Hollywood smile? There are more options than ever. With traditional braces, you can select metal or clear/ceramic braces, but there are pros and cons.

"Traditional metal braces -- if the patient has a significant bite problem or severely crooked teeth -- are slightly more effective at moving teeth than clear braces. If you came to me and said, 'I want my teeth as straight as fast as possible,' and you had really crooked teeth, then I'd say put metal braces on," Sebastian says.

He says clear braces work fine in most cases but there are some downfalls. The adhesive that holds the bracket in place can stain from dark drinks and smoking, and they cost more than metal braces.

Often, adults hoping to avoid "metal mouth" go the clear route.

"I'm not embarrassed about having [braces] at my age because you see a lot of people now, young adults, even older adults wearing braces," says Ivy Horn, a lawyer in Atlanta who is considering clear/ceramic braces after already wearing metal braces as a teen. "In my field I do a lot of speaking when I am in court a lot. I just think it would look better if I had the clear braces rather than the metal braces so people aren't focusing so much on what's in my mouth but the words that are coming out of my mouth."

Statistics from the October Journal of Clinical Orthodontics show that the average cost of an adult set of braces in the U.S. is $4,800.

Invisalign vs. Braces

Another option for the vain at heart is Invisalign. Patients wear a series of clear, removable orthodontic aligners that are adjusted as the teeth shift into place without metal or wires. A series of custom-made aligners are worn each for a period of two weeks. Each aligner moves the teeth progressively into place. Average total treatment time: a few months to 1 1/2 years. While orthodontists say Invisalign can be a good alternative to traditional braces, there are limitations.

"Invisalign does not do a great job on vertical problems, where the teeth are at different heights, teeth are lower or higher than others. It doesn't not do a good job on teeth that are severely rotated, and it does not do a good job at correcting bite issues," says Sebastian, who also says Invisalign would also not be the best option for fixing severely overcrowded teeth.

Sebastian says Invisalign can cost an average of $500 more than a one-year treatment with traditional braces.

A critical component of braces are the end game -- wearing the retainer. "It used to be, your teeth are straight, you wear retainers for a year, it will never change. Well, we know that's just not fact. Now we have to tell patients to plan on retention for years; lifetime retention is the word that they use now," says Sebastian, who has a number of patients who are repeat orthodontic clients.

Whatever your motivation to straighten your teeth, Dorfman -- who has had a complete smile makeover himself -- says it can change your life.

"I would say that if you're not happy with your smile, 90% of the time, changing it is a lot easier than you ever thought and you should find a good cosmetic dentist in your area and go and have a consultation and talk about it. Life is too short not to be able to walk into a room and just have a beautiful, healthy, happy smile that makes you feel good about yourself."

Adapted from WebMD By 

Orthodontic Treatment Can Change Your Life

February 27th, 2013

How Orthodontic Treatment Changed Roberts Life

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