Step 1: The Consultation
At your first Orthodontic visit, Dr. Grace Richardson will complete a thorough Orthodontic examination to determine your Orthodontic needs.
Our office generally schedules 30 minutes for this appointment to give the doctor ample time to evaluate the patient, as well as answer all of your questions. She will request a special digital Orthodontic X-ray called a “panoramic” to help her diagnose the problems. All of the information gathered at the initial exam appointment is forwarded to the patient’s general dentist.
Dr. Richardson will address your concerns and may identify other dental or skeletal problems that can compromise your long-term dental health. She will determine if you are ready for treatment and provide a treatment plan and timeline. Options for achieving your goals will be provided, and she will curate your unique treatment plan. Her treatment coordinator will assist you with insurance questions, outline a treatment fee and payment plan, and can and can schedule appointments if you wish to start your smile journey.
Step 2: Orthodontic Records
This appointment is approximately 30 minutes long and will include digital X-rays, a digital scan of your teeth, and high-quality photographs of you and your teeth. Your Orthodontic records are used to diagnose your orthodontic problem more accurately so that Dr. Richardson can design a treatment plan specifically for you. We will usually offer to take your records the same day as your consultation to save you an extra visit.
Dr. Richardson will carefully review your diagnostic records to determine if you have any specific risk factors for Orthodontic treatment. An informed consent document will be provided after the doctor studies your case and you will have an opportunity to ask any questions before your braces or your Invisalign aligners are placed.
Step 3: Starting your Treatment Appointment
You can be confident that every detail of your unique case has been considered from start to finish. The process of getting either Invisalign attachments placed or braces bonded to your teeth can take up to 90 minutes. One of our highly trained Orthodontic clinicians will oversee the placement of your appliances, and will answer all of your questions as she walks you through the entire process. Home care and maintenance of your appliances at the end of the bonding appointment will be very detailed; we will outline your responsibilities in the process as the journey to success is a team effort. At all future in-office appointments you will be given feedback on your oral hygiene, how your treatment is progressing, and instructions for elastic wear when it is time.
Step 4: Treatment Finish and Retainers
Once our office schedules the “debond visit”, it is important that you make arrangements with your Dentist to have a good cleaning, check-up, and fluoride treatment following the removal of your braces or Invisalign attachments.
Removing your attachments will only take us about 30 minutes, and you will be pleased at how easy and comfortable the process is. At this appointment you will be provided with a photo of your teeth before you had braces, and you will be able to compare to how your beautiful smile looks now! Before you leave the office to show the world your outstanding smile, we will need to take a final set of Orthodontic Records. We will also make you a set of retainers to hold your teeth into their final position. Dr. Richardson will decide which retainer is best for you, and she will prescribe a protocol for wearing your retainers. Most patients are advised that they should wear their retainers indefinitely in some capacity. The general rule is “wear your retainers for as long as you want your teeth to stay straight”.
