Your Cosmetic or Functional Goals
This consultation is an assessment for those people that are interested in teeth straightening treatments or treatments commonly known as Orthodontics.
Orthodontic treatments are aimed at enhancing the aesthetics of your smile by moving teeth into more aligned positions. At the same time as straightening teeth, we enhance the facial harmony and provide a more pleasing smile.
The first step is to fully understand the exact nature of your concerns and what it is that you are trying to achieve.
Some people may want orthodontic treatment for cosmetic improvements whilst other simply need to have a better bite.
Types of Treatment Advised
Treatment may involve fixed braces which are attached to the teeth or removable types of appliances which can be taken out for cleaning. The orthodontist will advise which is appropriate for each case.
Sometimes a combination of appliances is used or additional components are recommended.
Modern Innovative Multiple Choices
There are now so many different types of teeth straightening systems available on the market that it can be confusing as to which one is most suitable for you. Fortunately, our dentists are highly trained and qualified in all the different systems and products. After this assessment, they will select the best type of treatment that perfectly matches your unique situation.
There are a few different types of Orthodontic Treatment:
- Clear Aligners
- Bracket & Wire Systems
- Removable Braces
- Other types
Orthodontic Examination
In order to work out the most suitable and appropriate treatment for you, we will examine your mouth in detail. This is so that we can establish the exact nature of the foundation of your mouth. We need a stable foundation before we can commence with any treatment.
Your teeth examination will involve:
- A review of your medical history. We need to know if there are any medical contra-indications to orthodontic treatment.
- We also do a dental history review. This helps us to understand the type of treatment you may have had in the past and its successful history.
- We then look inside your mouth and assess for any infection or abnormalities in your teeth, gums, bone and soft tissues.
- We also do an examination of your facial muscles that you use when eating and speaking.
- We look closely at your jaw joints. An important part of orthodontic treatment is understanding your jaw relationships.
- We look for any abnormalities with regards to your bite. So we check for misaligned teeth, rotated and twisted teeth, deep or shallow overbites, under-bites, crowding, spacing.
- We perform a smile analysis and create a new smile design based upon your cosmetic requirements.
Risk assessment
During your assessment, the Orthodontist or dentist will evaluate for any potential risks or problems.
The main risk assessment is around your susceptibility to infection. This can be dental decay (infection in the tooth) or gum disease (infection in the gums). For this reason, it is imperative that you start off with a healthy foundation and have good oral hygiene home regime.
In addition to tooth damage resulting from poor cleaning there can sometimes be a shortening of the roots of teeth that are being moved. This is called root resorption. This is a rare occurrence and not enough to give any perceptible problems.
After the Orthodontic Consultation, you will be advised of the following:
Most appropriate choice of treatment
After having evaluated your entire mouth and discussed your specific requirements, we will go through all the available options for treatment and which we recommend is best suited to you.
Length of Treatment
On average treatment takes about twelve to thirty-six months followed by wearing retainers long term, the orthodontist will advise you as to approximate timings for your own individual case.
The Frequency of Appointments Necessary
It is necessary to check appliances on a regular basis in order to monitor progress and make the necessary adjustments. This obviously necessitates taking time away from work for treatment to be carried out successfully.
Stability of the Final Results
The prospects of long-term stability differ for each individual case but teeth have a tendency to try to return to their original position.
The position of the lower incisor teeth may worsen with age whether or not orthodontic treatment has been undertaken.
Retainers are always recommended to be worn following treatment to hold the new position of teeth.
Treatment Cost
The fee for the Orthodontic Consultation is £200. This includes any radiographs (x-rays), initial impressions or moulds of your teeth, the creation of study models, the creation of a report for you and the Treatment Plan.
The fee for the subsequent treatment will be based upon your choice of teeth straightening treatment. It will also be dependent upon the complexity of the actual treatment and whether specialist equipment is necessary.
During your consultation appointment, your dentist will talk you through all your treatment options, all the advantages and disadvantages of progressing with your different choices. You will then be able to select the most appropriate option for you.
General Dental Care
It is recommended that you have routine dental care. Your teeth need to be well looked after by your own dentist throughout orthodontic treatment.
It is essential that the teeth are kept scrupulously clean during treatment, if cleaning is inadequate especially around a fixed brace, there can be tooth damage. This takes the form of white or brown marks around the area where the brackets are fixed, in severe cases this could lead to decay.
If cleaning is inadequate it may be necessary to remove the brace before completion of treatment.
If you have any further questions about our orthodontic treatments, contact us today. Alternatively, you can book your free, initial consultation with us.
Medically reviewed & updated on September 9, 2019
