Meet Your New Orthodontist in Kyle: Get to Know Dr. Maxwell Oldham
Tell us a little bit about your background.
I’m from Round Rock, Texas originally, so I really consider Austin and the surrounding areas like Kyle and Buda my home. For college, I went to Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas; I then completed dental school in San Antonio. After dental school, I moved up to Oklahoma for my residency training and attended one of the top programs in the entire country. Once I finished my residency, I moved to Kyle, and I worked briefly down in San Antonio. Here in Kyle, I opened my own orthodontic practice of Oldham Family Orthodontics, which is my dream. My wife and I chose Kyle to open up the practice because we wanted a tight knit community that we could be part of and give back to. The community here in Kyle has been so welcoming. I am proud to be an orthodontist in Kyle!
What initially interested you about orthodontics?
When I was a kid, I had teeth coming out of my mouth in all directions, and I just really didn’t want to smile. My parents took me to the orthodontist to start treatment. By the time I got to the end of my treatment, I actually wanted to smile, and I had confidence. I feel like when you have that confidence it completely changes your life. That gift of confidence is something that I want to be able to give to my patients no matter their age. I chose orthodontics so that I could help contribute to that change and give someone a big, beautiful smile they’re proud of sharing. It’s extremely rewarding to see my patients go from very shy and unsure at the beginning of treatment to very outspoken and confident at the end of treatment. It makes you feel proud at the end of the day that you’ve made a difference in that person’s life. My goal is to be the Kyle Orthodontist who does that for each and every one of my patients.
Why did you choose to open your practice in the Kyle, TX area?
Both my wife and I are more of small-town people. I wanted a place that reminded me of where I grew up in Round Rock before it got really busy and congested. Kyle is a great city and a great place to live — very peaceful. My wife and I chose Kyle to open up the practice because we wanted a tight knit community that we could be part of and give back to. The community here in Kyle has been so welcoming. I am proud to be an orthodontist in Kyle!
Why did you decide to start your own private practice?
In starting my own orthodontic practice in the Kyle/Buda area, I have the ability to be in control over the entire quality of treatment from start to finish. You never care about anything as much as when it’s your own work. I’m someone who prides myself on being a perfectionist, so I strive for perfection in the treatment I give my patients. I believe in owning my own practice, I’m able to get the best results for my patients and provide them with the best treatment possible because I am overseeing the whole process.
What’s the difference between a general dentist and an orthodontist?
What sets an orthodontist apart from a general dentist really comes down to the amount of schooling/training. I’ve had over 7,500 hours of training. I’ve seen a plethora of simple to complex cases in many different patient populations. I’ve seen children to the elderely. I’ve dealt with cleft lip and cleft palate issues, surgery cases, craino-facial abnormality cases, etc. In orthodontic residency you’re seeing cases from all walks of life, all different varieties. I know that any patient who comes to my orthodontic practice in Kyle will receive the best treatment, because I have been equipped with the best knowledge and training over the years. Really, all those hours of experience translate into better results for the patient. It’s intensive training day after day, lots of studying, and hours and hours of practice, and it can be seen in my work as an orthodontist in Kyle.
Can you describe a case where you were able to make a significant difference in someone’s smile?
One of my most rewarding cases was a woman who couldn’t bite properly to chew her food. She also had a speech impediment from this. Her lower teeth would bite into the roof of her mouth. She was in so much pain and felt helpless. She was told that she needed surgery and that was the only option. I actually managed to treat her case without surgery, and I was able to give her a normal bite. That was one of my most rewarding cases because she went from not being able to chew her food and hating to eat to being able to talk and eat normally. She would light up every time she’d come into the office as we got closer to the end result. This was one of my most challenging cases but one of the most rewarding because I was able to help change her life and smile.
What are the most popular types of treatments for orthodontics in Kyle today and how long do they take?
The most popular treatment for adults right now is Invisalign, and for kids it’s still traditional braces, they love the colored bands. However, this does not mean that based on your age you are limited to a specific treatment. You can be 86 years old and be in traditional braces or 14 years of age and be in Invisalign. They both perform well in different ways. Invisalign is really great for less complicated cases and for correcting open bites; whereas braces are almost always as good as an option (sometimes better) and are necessary for more complicated cases. Typically it takes about two years to straighten teeth. Technological advances allow some cases to resolve in 18 months or even faster, but that’s your typical time frame.
When is the first time a child should see an orthodontist?
We always recommend kids come in around age 7 for their first orthodontic check up. We’re not looking to make their teeth perfectly straight at that time or immediately put on braces. We are checking to see: Are the teeth developing correctly? How many permanent teeth are there? Are the permanent teeth erupting in a different pattern than normal?” If we start seeing deviations from normal growth behavior, that’s when we recommend a different form of treatment called “Phase 1”.
Phase 1 focuses on developmental issues. For example, let’s say you have a patient where their upper jaw isn’t growing as fast as their lower jaw; that would be a time when we would need to intervene. Sometimes the canines are impacted, or a kid has a bad crossbite. Both of those things need to be addressed before braces can be put on. As a specialty trained orthodontist, you don’t want to miss the window of opportunity you have to correct some of these issues. As kids mature, you become less able to influence the growth of their bones and unable to correct some dental-tooth eruption patterns. There’s a finite period of time to influence that.
I have seen kids coming in for treatment at age 13 for braces with serious dental issues. They didn’t see a dentist about it before and/or they were never referred to an orthodontist. When they come in with untreated problems, we get into surgical cases and really long treatments.
So if a child comes in at age 7, we can catch early problems and fix them to ensure everything runs smoothly when they get their official braces (Phase 2) around age 13. The average age for a child to start braces is around 11-14 years old.
If a patient gets braces or Invisalign, will they need to make any changes to their diet?
If you’re in braces, your diet is going to be a little more restrictive than if you’re in Invisalign because the braces are on your teeth 24/7. You need to be careful not to displace brackets with sticky or crunchy foods. With Invisalign you can take off the aligners and eat more of the foods you want, but you should still avoid really hard foods that might displace the Invisalign attachments on your teeth. Also, you should stay away from sugary drinks like Coke because that can get caught under the Invisalign trays, which can lead to cavities. Hygiene is easier to maintain with Invisalign because you can floss in between each tooth and with braces you have to use special floss to get around each bracket.
What should patients expect when they come in for a consultation?
At Oldham Family Orthodontics in Kyle, the consultations are all complimentary, which means they’re 100% FREE. When you come in, we’ll start by taking photos of your teeth and profile and taking X-rays. We’ll also take a scan of your teeth with our 3D scanner. The scanner is a brand new technology which allows me to not have to take dental impressions. We don’t have any more of the “goop that makes you gag” that I’m sure most people with braces in the past had to deal with. Then we use the scanner to help generate our 3D models. We also do a one-on-one examination with me, where I’ll go through and measure all your teeth. Then we’ll discuss your individualized treatment plan.
Do patients have to pay for treatment all at once? Are there payment options?
We offer an excellent financing program. We offer zero percent interest financing for the length of the treatment, but we’ll also allow you to take those payments out a little beyond the treatment time to keep the monthly amount down. You do have the option to pay all up front, and you will get a discounted rate on total treatment cost. With a variety of payment options, you can customize your down payment to fit your needs. You can design a monthly payment that works for you. So if you’re getting a 24-month treatment, you can pay it back early or pay a little more some months and a little less other months. You have full control over your repayment terms.
Why should patients come to you for orthodontic treatment vs. other orthodontic offices in the Buda, Kyle, and San Marcos area?
My dream has always been to be the local orthodontist of a town. When my wife and I chose Kyle as the place to settle down. My dream became to be the best orthodontist in Kyle. I want to be involved in my community and give back to them. This is our home now. Those who live in Kyle are our neighbors, our family. I want my patients to feel comfortable and feel like they are visiting friends when they come in for an appointment. We care about you. Here, you will receive the highest level of care possible. I take a ton of personal pride in my work, and I’m not going to stop until we get the result that you and I are both satisfied with.