Frequently Asked Questions
The recommended age as by the American Association of Orthodontics is that a child should be evaluated by an orthodontist by the age of 7 ( treatment usually is not necessary at this time).
Growth can be utilized and manipulated in young patients but is not necessarily ready for full orthodontic treatment.
Active treatment lasts for anything between 16 -24 months.
Every case is unique however and other appliances may be needed. Patients are usually seen at a 6 weekly intervals.
After active treatment is complete, patients will go into a retention phase and will still be seeing the orthodontist on a less frequent basis.
Most patients experience discomfort for the first week after the braces are fitted.
Patients may take painkillers to relieve this discomfort - IF it is even necessary!
Skew teeth,incorrect bite,crowding can be improved regardless the age of the patient.
It is often done in conjunction with other specialists (or your dentist) to maximise the benefit and make their job easier.
Yes! You may still do sport. A mouthguard however is recommended in the case of contact sports!
Yes! To ensure that your teeth and gums stay healthy during your treatment you must still visit your dentist and oral hygienist every 6 months.
With the patient's cooperation approximatly an hour.
Yes assorted colours of the ligating elastics are available!
Some people may not require orthodontic treatment at all! - your dentist however may be concerned about some aspect of your bite and may require clarification as to whether or not to treat at all!
Children develop at different stages -some earlier and some later - Age is NOT the deciding factor! It is usually better to send the patient away and recall if not ready, rather than "miss the boat" - timing is an important factor!
Some people are simply not candidates for orthodontic treatment - this is often established at this first visit. If we feel that further investigation is warranted, further records may be taken. Bear in mind that we can only comment on what is clinically visible.
Clinical photographs, X-Rays and Models and measurements of the mouth are often needed in order to further diagnose and treatment plan the case - we don't have Superman Vision - and are not able to see what is going on underneath without them!
This will take approximately 60 minutes
A detailed clinical examination will be conducted in order to determine the soft and hard tissue condition - teeth, facial features, any abnormalities etc.
Orthopantograph - is a screening x-ray which shows the presence or absence of teeth, wisdom teeth, broken roots left behind, impacted teeth, abscesses, tumors, abnormal roots etc.
Lateral Cephalometric Headfilm - this is used to determine the position of the jaws relative to one another, placement of the teeth in the jaws as well as their position relative to one another.
Hand / Wrist - used to determine growth. The amount of growth remaining, can influence the type and timing of treatment.
Clinical photographs will help us record the present situation and allow comparison later. They are also used for compiling reports to referring doctors or medical aids
Study models / dental casts are sometimes used to do further measurements - an impression of the teeth is often needed to do this.
Impression
These records are analyzed and usually presented to the patient / parent at a separate visit visit - sometimes we can do it all at one time - depending on the situation.
During the case discussion, notes are taken, a diagnosis and treatment plan are formulated and costs as well as options available are discussed.
Then... if we decide to continue with treatment, an appointment will be set up to fit the braces!