What to expect at your first visit.

Many of our patients don’t know what to expect at their first visit to Top Smile Orthodontics. Some may even be nervous in beginning such a grand adventure to their new smile. As with any new venture, they may be uncertain of the road ahead. I want each and every patient to be comfortable with the process of creating their perfect smile. This is why I thought it would be helpful to let our patients know what to expect at their first visit to our office.

When you first arrive at our office, you will be greeted by one of our team of orthodontic professional and begin your registration process. There will be a few forms to fill out that will give us some basic information as well as answer some questions about your oral health and overall health history. This should only take you a few minutes and we can even email the forms to you in advance of your visit to make your life easier. This registration will be used to create your patient account that will become the home of your treatment records and images.

Once we have all the necessary information, you will be given a short tour of our office. We feel that it is important that see “behind the curtain” of where you will be treated. We will get you acquainted with the amenities of the office as well as show you how and where we sterilize all of our instruments and take our diagnostic images. After we have shown you around, it is time to begin to build a set of diagnostic records that will normally include several pictures and, in some cases, an x-ray. These images will allow me and my team to evaluate the health and positioning of your teeth, bone structure and jaw. We will want to have a clear picture of your existing smile so that we can accurately plan for your treatment.

After all of the necessary images have been taken, I personally will take some time to get to know you and your reasons for wanting to undergo orthodontic treatment. Every patient is different, so it is important that we know what matters the most to you about your smile and your goals for your treatment. Then I will conduct an examination and take a look at various factors that will determine the proper treatment for you. This will include an evaluation of your face, lips, gums, teeth, and bite, to determine what the best course of action for your specific needs will be.

There are typically three general conclusions that an orthodontist will draw from his examination. The first would be that you do not need braces. There might be other options that are able to better address your concerns, or alternatives that may provide a faster solution than comprehensive orthodontic care. There also may be times when the an orthodontist feels that the braces may not provide enough of a benefit to warrant the financial and time investment required for quality orthodontic care.

The second possible result of your exam is that you may need braces, but are not quite ready for them yet. Typically this is due to still having some baby teeth present in your mouth or not having all of your 12 year molars. In some cases we will need to monitor the growth of your jaw to determine when you are ready to begin treatment. In all of these cases, we will schedule you back for a follow up appointment to monitor your conditions closely and determine the perfect time to start on your way to your new smile.

In the majority of our consultations we find that the patient is a candidate for orthodontic treatment and is ready to get started. We will evaluate your oral health and determine if you will need to see your regular dentist for any restorative work prior to having your braces put on. We want you to start this process with a clean healthy mouth so that your investment will yield the best possible results. We will coordinate with your dentist to ensure that your teeth and gums are ready to start your care. After this is taken care of, our team of professionals will coordinate a time for your treatment to begin and we will schedule a visit to put your braces on. After that, you are on the road to your new smile! Pay close attention to the instructions that our team will give you for home care, and your beautiful, straight smile is now in reach.