Your First Orthodontic Appointment

Your initial visit to the orthodontic office is an exciting experience! It’s time for us to get well acquainted and for you to know about the available treatments and services we offer. When you walk inside the door of the dental practice, you may notice that our office looks the same as a regular dentist’s; however, the services we offer are slightly different. It all starts with the consultation with our dentist. 

Plan your time, as you need to spend at least an hour with us during the initial appointment. This ensures you do not rush and have enough time to ask questions. First, you will meet one of our receptionists or patient coordinators, who will gather some information from you and bring it to the office. Then, it’s time to carry out the diagnostics and oral examinations. 

Let’s Make a Plan

Most of what we do today is to determine what treatment we must perform to fix any problems we find and how soon we should begin it, now or later. We start by taking routine shots of the teeth where they are now. Then, we’ll take radiographic (X-ray) shots. These enable us to see what’s happening below the gums: the position and formation of bones and joints, and the teeth still below the gum line.

We may also occasionally take an impression (mold) of the teeth. This enables us to make a replica of the bite, which helps determine the problem and how best to treat it. If we need to do this, we will ask you (your child) to bite on some soft, putty-like material briefly; then, we’ll remove the material and make the mold in our laboratory.

Next, it’s exam time. We’ll review the records and X-rays and perform a complete checkup. Besides checking the mouth, we may also ask some questions, such as whether the jaws click or produce any sound when opening or closing, or whether there is any chewing or swallowing difficulty. This will help us provide a correct diagnosis and finalize our treatment plan on the first visit.

Discussing Your Treatment Options

After the dental exam, we may tell you the reports that are fine or recommend treatment. Treatment might start immediately or later, depending on the developmental stage of your jaws and teeth. At times, we suggest that you come to the office for a periodic checkup until we determine the best time to begin the treatment. We will discuss our fees and payment options now that we have a personalized dental treatment plan.

Whether you begin now or later, this is the best time to ask questions about the proposed treatment process. We can talk about available treatment options, answer general questions about what to expect at different stages of the procedure, and discuss any of the following:

• Can orthodontic treatment benefit me (or my child)?
• What general dental treatments will be used to correct the issue?
• Are any reliable options available (or recommended) for my current treatment?
• Should I avail the treatment now, or will I wait?
• Will tooth extraction be necessary?
• How much does treatment cost? Are payment plans available?
• How long do you expect treatment to take?

When you leave our dental office, we think you’ll better understand how we can help you get the best possible smile. So why not take the initial step now — call us for a consultation!