Our objective is to make sure your visits with us will be pleasant and informative. As well as meeting with Dr. Stephenson, you will meet with several important members of our clinical team during the information gathering process for this important appointment.

The examination process and discussion of potential treatment options will take 30-45 minutes. This important visit will address the orthodontic needs of you or your child. A thorough explanation of the problem and possible treatment options will be discussed with you. We always schedule adequate time to completely answer all your questions.

Following the examination visit, a written summary of our findings and recommendations will be provided to you and to your family dentist. Your first visit will provide you with an opportunity to meet us and become familiar with our facility. We look forward to meeting you! The fee for the first appointment is payable at the time of the examination. Please bring any recent x-rays taken within the past 6 months to your first visit or have your dentist forward them.

One of three outcomes will be determined at this first visit:
- Treatment is not needed, no further visits necessary
- Treatment will be needed in the future after further dental development. We will monitor your child's development periodically at no charge.
- Treatment is needed now or can be pursued at any time.

 

Broken Appointments

If for some reason you cannot keep your appointment, please contact our office at least 24 hours beforehand. By doing so you allow another patient to use that time as well as reschedule your appointment.  If it is after hours, please leave your name and number and a brief message on our voice mail and we will return your call in the morning.

Successive Visits

Periodic visits are an important part of orthodontic treatment. Generally, we will want to see you every 4-8 weeks to check your progress and make adjustments to your braces. During this time, you will need to keep appointments, follow instructions, as well as practice good oral hygiene and proper nutrition, and also continue to visit your dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups. Once your braces are removed, retainers are utilized to hold your teeth in their new positions until your bone, gums, and muscles adapt to the new teeth positions.

Length of Treatment

Braces may be on between 6 months to 30 months, or longer depending on the age of the patient, the severity of the problem and the degree of movement possible. The average comprehensive treatment is somewhere between 1 and 2 years.

Dental Care

Before any orthodontic treatment, your family dentist should make certain that all cavities have been treated and the health of your gums and underlying bone are free of periodontal disease. Your family dentist should also schedule cleaning and cavity checkup visits during your orthodontic care. We would like to reinforce the need to keep your regular visits with your family dentist. We are an aid to your family dentist not a replacement. Please contact our office if you have any questions.