Frequently Asked Questions

No! Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age. In fact, about 1 in 4 orthodontic patients today is an adult. As long as your teeth and gums are healthy, you can benefit from treatment. With options like clear aligners (Invisalign) and ceramic braces, there are discreet options that fit adult lifestyles. We've successfully treated patients well into their 60s and 70s!

Treatment time varies depending on the complexity of your case:

• Minor corrections: 6-12 months
• Average treatment: 18-24 months
• Complex cases: 24-36 months

Factors that affect treatment time include the severity of your case, your age, how well you follow instructions (wearing rubber bands, keeping appointments), and your individual biology. During your free consultation, we'll give you a personalized estimate.

Appointment frequency depends on your treatment type:

• Traditional braces: Every 4-6 weeks for adjustments
• Invisalign/Clear aligners: Every 6-10 weeks to check progress and receive new trays
• Expanders: More frequent initially, then every 4-6 weeks

Most appointments take 15-30 minutes. We offer flexible scheduling including after-school hours and select Saturdays to accommodate busy schedules.

Glendale Office (Glenridge Orthodontics):
Monday - Friday: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Garden City Office (Smile Today Orthodontics):
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM
Closed Wednesdays

Both locations are also open every 3rd Saturday during the school year (September through June).

We believe everyone deserves a beautiful smile, so we offer flexible payment options:

• Insurance: We accept most major dental insurance plans and file claims on your behalf
• Payment plans: Interest-free monthly payments spread over the course of treatment
• Pay in full discount: Save when you pay the full amount upfront
• FSA/HSA: Use your pre-tax healthcare dollars
• Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover
• CareCredit & Lending Club: Healthcare financing options available

We'll discuss all options during your free consultation to find a plan that works for your budget.

Glendale (Glenridge Orthodontics):

• Dr. Nejati: Mondays & Thursdays (Speaks Spanish)
• Dr. Huz: Tuesdays (Speaks Ukrainian)
• Dr. Rasouli: Fridays
• Dr. Recchion: Every other Wednesday (Speaks Spanish)
• Dr. Bilello: Wednesdays & Select Saturdays

Garden City (Smile Today Orthodontics):

• Dr. Huz: Fridays (Speaks Ukrainian)
• Dr. Bilello: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri & Select Saturdays

All of our doctors are board-certified orthodontists. Learn more about our team →

Traditional Braces:

• Metal or ceramic brackets bonded to teeth
• Work 24/7 - no compliance needed
• Best for complex cases and younger patients
• More affordable option
• Food restrictions apply

Invisalign/Clear Aligners:

• Clear, removable plastic trays
• Nearly invisible when worn
• Remove to eat and brush - no food restrictions
• Requires 20-22 hours daily wear for best results
• Great for adults and responsible teens

During your consultation, we'll recommend the best option for your specific case and lifestyle.

Getting braces put on doesn't hurt - it's just a bit time-consuming (about 1-2 hours). However, you may experience some discomfort:

• First few days: Teeth may feel sore as they begin to move. This is normal and typically lasts 3-5 days.
• After adjustments: Similar soreness for 1-2 days after each tightening appointment.
• Cheeks and lips: May feel irritated initially as your mouth adjusts. Orthodontic wax helps!

Tips for managing discomfort:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers (Tylenol, Advil)
• Soft foods for the first few days
• Orthodontic wax on brackets that rub
• Salt water rinses for mouth sores

Absolutely! You can continue playing all sports with braces. We strongly recommend wearing a mouthguard during any physical activity, especially contact sports like football, basketball, soccer, hockey, and martial arts.

We provide orthodontic mouthguards that fit comfortably over braces to protect your teeth, lips, and cheeks. Regular mouthguards don't fit well over braces and can cause injury.

For Invisalign patients, you can either wear your aligners with a mouthguard over them, or remove the aligners and wear a regular mouthguard during play.

Foods to AVOID:

• Hard foods: Ice, hard candy, nuts, popcorn kernels, hard pretzels, raw carrots (cut into small pieces instead)
• Sticky foods: Caramel, taffy, gum, Starbursts, gummy bears, fruit roll-ups
• Chewy foods: Bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: Chips, hard taco shells
• Biting into: Apples, corn on the cob, carrots (cut them up first!)

Braces-friendly alternatives:

• Soft fruits, smoothies, yogurt
• Soft cooked vegetables
• Pasta, rice, soft bread
• Cheese, soft meats, eggs
• Ice cream, pudding, soft cookies

Broken bracket:

• Don't panic - this is common and usually not an emergency
• If the bracket is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and cover with wax if it's poking
• If it comes completely off, save it and bring it to your next appointment
• Call our office to schedule a repair appointment

Lost or broken aligner:

• If you lose your current aligner, move to the next set if you're more than halfway through the wear time
• If early in the tray cycle, go back to your previous aligner temporarily
• Call our office - we can order a replacement if needed
• Keep your previous set of aligners as a backup!

For true emergencies (severe pain, injury, or wire poking that you can't manage with wax), call our office and we'll get you in as soon as possible.

Good oral hygiene is crucial during orthodontic treatment! Here's how to keep your teeth healthy:

For braces:

• Brush after every meal (or at least 3 times daily) for 2-3 minutes
• Use a soft-bristled brush at a 45-degree angle to clean around brackets
• Use interdental brushes (proxy brushes) to clean between brackets
• Floss daily using a floss threader or orthodontic flosser
• Use fluoride mouthwash to strengthen enamel
• Consider a water flosser (Waterpik) for easier cleaning

For Invisalign:

• Remove aligners before eating or drinking anything except water
• Brush and floss before putting aligners back in
• Clean aligners daily with a soft brush and clear soap or Invisalign cleaning crystals
• Rinse aligners every time you remove them

Yes! Retainers are essential to maintain your beautiful new smile.

After braces or Invisalign, your teeth have a natural tendency to shift back toward their original positions. Retainers hold your teeth in place while the bone and tissues stabilize.

Retainer schedule (typical):

• First 3-6 months: Wear full-time (except eating/brushing)
• After 6 months: Transition to nighttime only
• Long-term: Most patients wear retainers at night indefinitely to maintain results

We offer both removable retainers (clear or Hawley-style) and permanent bonded retainers. We'll recommend the best option for you.

Learn more about retainers →

Yes! Your initial consultation is completely free.

During your consultation, you'll receive:

• Comprehensive examination by one of our orthodontists
• Digital X-rays and photos (if needed)
• Discussion of treatment options
• Personalized treatment plan recommendation
• Estimated treatment time
• Complete cost breakdown and payment options

The consultation takes about 30-45 minutes. There's no obligation - we want you to have all the information you need to make the best decision for yourself or your child.

Schedule your free consultation →

Our team can assist you in multiple languages:

• English: All staff members
• Spanish: Dr. Nejati, Dr. Recchion, and several staff members
• Ukrainian: Dr. Huz
• Polish: Select staff members

If you need assistance in another language, please let us know when scheduling and we'll do our best to accommodate you.

We accept most major dental and orthodontic insurance plans, including:

• Aetna
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Delta Dental
• Guardian
• MetLife
• United Healthcare
• And many more!

Please call our office with your insurance information and we'll verify your coverage before your appointment. Even if we're not in-network with your specific plan, you may still have out-of-network benefits we can help you utilize.

Coverage varies by plan, but here's what's typical:

• Lifetime maximum: Most plans cover $1,000 - $3,000 for orthodontic treatment (this is a one-time benefit, not annual)
• Coverage percentage: Usually 50% of treatment cost up to the lifetime maximum
• Age limits: Some plans only cover children under 19 or 26
• Waiting periods: Some plans require 12-24 months of enrollment before orthodontic benefits kick in

During your consultation, we'll verify your exact benefits and explain how they apply to your treatment cost.

Yes! After your insurance coverage is applied, we offer flexible, interest-free payment plans for the remaining balance.

How it works:

• Small down payment to start treatment
• Monthly payments spread over the course of your treatment
• No interest or finance charges
• Automatic payment options available for convenience

We'll work with your budget to find a payment schedule that makes orthodontic care affordable for your family.

Yes! We handle all insurance paperwork as a courtesy to our patients:

• We verify your benefits before treatment begins
• We file all claims electronically for faster processing
• We track claim status and follow up on any issues
• Insurance payments come directly to our office and are applied to your balance

You don't have to deal with insurance paperwork - we take care of everything!

Yes! Orthodontic treatment is an eligible expense for both Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA).

Tips for using FSA/HSA:

• FSA funds typically must be used within the plan year (check your plan's grace period or rollover rules)
• HSA funds roll over year to year with no expiration
• You can use these funds for your down payment and/or monthly payments
• We can provide documentation for reimbursement claims
• Consider timing your treatment start to maximize your pre-tax savings

Using pre-tax dollars can save you 20-30% on your out-of-pocket costs!

Don't worry - changing insurance during treatment is common and we'll help you navigate it:

• If you had orthodontic benefits: We'll have already received payments from your old insurance. Your balance with us won't change.
• New insurance with ortho benefits: If your new plan has orthodontic coverage and you haven't used it before, we may be able to file claims for the remaining treatment.
• No new ortho coverage: Your existing payment plan with us continues as agreed.

Let us know as soon as your insurance changes and we'll review your options.

Yes! We proudly accept Medicaid for orthodontic treatment at both our Glendale and Garden City locations.

We accept various New York Medicaid plans including:

• Fidelis Care
• Healthfirst
• MetroPlus
• Affinity Health Plan
• Amerigroup
• United Healthcare Community Plan
• And others - call to verify your specific plan

Please bring your Medicaid card to your appointment so we can verify your coverage.

New York Medicaid covers orthodontic treatment when there is a medical necessity. This means the orthodontic problem must be severe enough to affect function, not just appearance.

What's typically covered:

• Children under 21 years old
• Cases meeting the Handicapping Labio-Lingual Deviation (HLD) score requirement
• Comprehensive treatment including braces, adjustments, and retainers

What's usually NOT covered:

• Mild cosmetic cases that don't meet medical necessity
• Adult treatment (21 and older)
• Invisalign/clear aligners (traditional braces only)

Medicaid uses a scoring system called the Handicapping Labio-Lingual Deviation (HLD) Index to determine eligibility. Your child's case is scored based on factors like:

• Severity of overbite or underbite
• Degree of crowding
• Missing teeth
• Crossbite
• Open bite
• Other functional issues

A minimum score (typically 26+ points) is required for approval.

The process:

1. Schedule a free consultation with us
2. We examine your child and take necessary X-rays
3. We calculate the HLD score
4. If qualifying, we submit prior authorization to Medicaid
5. Medicaid reviews and approves/denies the request

The Medicaid prior authorization process typically takes 4-8 weeks, though it can sometimes be longer depending on appeals.

Timeline breakdown:

• Week 1: We submit prior authorization request
• Week 2: Consultation, records gathering, measurements, and we submit an HLD (Handicapping Labio-lingual Deviation) score to the insurance for approval
• Week 3: We wait for the insurance company's decision
• Week 4:
  • If approved: We will contact you to schedule treatment
  • If denied: We may send for an alternative treatment code (Braces or Expander), or you would appeal their decision on the treatment we requested
• Week 6: If they still deny after appeal, you can submit for a fair hearing trial if you believe your child should be approved
• Week 8: Once you have a fair hearing trial date, we will help you compose a letter explaining why your child needs this care

Important: If the insurance does not approve your child's coverage, we need your help in appealing the decision. We always want to be able to provide the care your child needs, and parental involvement in the appeals process is crucial for success.

If your child's case doesn't meet Medicaid's medical necessity requirements, you still have options:

• Private pay with payment plans: We offer affordable monthly payment plans with no interest
• Wait and re-evaluate: Sometimes cases become more severe over time and may qualify later
• Check other insurance: If you have private dental insurance through work, it may have orthodontic benefits
• FSA/HSA funds: Use pre-tax healthcare dollars if available

We believe every child deserves a healthy smile. Talk to our team about options that fit your budget.

Please bring the following to your child's consultation:

• Medicaid card (current and valid)
• Photo ID for the parent/guardian
• Child's ID (if available)
• Referral from dentist (if required by your plan)
• Any previous dental X-rays (if available - not required)

If you're unsure about referral requirements, call your Medicaid plan or our office and we'll help you figure it out.

By age 7, per the American Association of Orthodontists. Enough adult teeth are in to spot developing problems, and the jaws are still growing enough to guide. Our check-ups are free, at both offices.

Usually not. Most children screened at 7 simply go on a recall schedule and we watch their growth for free. Only a minority have a problem that benefits from acting early.

The classics: crossbites, a narrow upper arch, severe crowding, front teeth at injury risk, harmful habits, and adult teeth drifting toward impaction. Phase 1 targets a specific developing problem — it doesn't try to finish the smile.

Case-dependent, but typically on the order of a year, followed by a resting period in which growth and eruption continue with periodic check-ins.

Often yes — Phase 2 finishes the alignment once all adult teeth arrive. The payoff of a well-chosen Phase 1 is that Phase 2 tends to be shorter, simpler, and more predictable. Sometimes Phase 1 is enough on its own.

It can improve the odds — honestly, that's the right way to say it. Guarding natural leeway space and widening a narrow arch resolve many moderate crowding cases without extractions, and early X-rays let us intercept canines drifting toward impaction. Severe cases may still need extractions; early evaluation keeps the alternatives on the table. Read more on our Early & Two-Phase Treatment page.