First and Second Visits
First Visit
The New Patient Visit to our office is designed to allow patients to meet Dr. Harry and to get comfortable with the office. During this visit, Dr. Harry will examine the patient to determine whether the patient is ready to begin and will benefit from treatment. Dr. Harry will also discuss general treatment ideas, but he often cannot discuss more precise details of treatment and exact treatment fees until a complete set of records are taken and reviewed. If the patient is ready, a complete set of records can be taken at this appointment. Records include 2 digital x-rays, digital photographs, and a 3-D digital study model. This appointment is generally scheduled for 45 minutes.
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Second Visit
If the patient is ready to begin treatment and records have been taken, the second visit will be a more formal consultation. During this visit, the records and diagnosis will be reviewed, and a detailed treatment plan will be discussed. If different options are available for treatment, they will be discussed at this time, along with the associated treatment fees. Patients and/or their parents are encouraged to ask questions to help them feel more comfortable with any proposed treatment.
Early Treatment
Some children may need what is called early or phase I treatment. Early treatment is recommended when a child's teeth have specific problems that may affect normal tooth eruption or proper jaw growth. Some examples of early/phase I treatment are as follows:
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Space Maintenance: Fixed or removable appliances are used to prevent crowding from worsening, or to prevent space loss when baby teeth need to be extracted early.
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Palatal Expansion: An expander is required when your child's upper jaw is too narrow relative to the lower jaw. This discrepancy in jaw size results in a crossbite. Palatal expanders work better in younger patients, often before the child is ready for full braces treatment. If left untreated, this can lead to facial and jaw asymmetry.
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Growth Modification: Some patients have either excess growth or deficient growth of either the upper or lower jaw. A common form of growth modification is called headgear or a night brace. The most common type used in early treatment is designed to encourage a deficient upper jaw to grow more than it normally would otherwise.
Comprehensive Treatment
Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment, Comprehensive orthodontic treatment not only aligns the teeth to provide a beautiful smile, but also corrects bite issues that may exist (overbites, underbites, etc.) Some patients who have severe crowding or extreme overbites however may require extractions of adult teeth to allow proper alignment. For children, comprehensive treatment can often be started when the last few baby teeth are still present and are beginning to loosen. Often, comprehensive treatment can be completed within 18-24 months. Correct timing to start comprehensive treatment can greatly aid an orthodontist in providing ideal results and reduce the chance that adult teeth need to be extracted.
Adult Orthodontics
It is never too late for orthodontic treatment, and we often see many adult patients who never had treatment as children and want to straighten their teeth, or patients who had braces in the past and now want to touch-up their smile. Other adults may need orthodontic treatment to provide space to allow their dentist to place implants, crowns or bridges. With all patients, treatment plans are customized to best fit the patient's needs.
Cosmetic Orthodontic Treatment Options:
As more and more adults are getting braces, many are not too excited about the metal brackets. For those patients not looking to dress up their braces with all the colors of the rainbow, we offer cosmetic options that are less noticeable than traditional braces. These options include clear ceramic brackets and Invisalign treatment.
Invisialign
Invisalign is an appliance used for comprehensive orthodontic care, just like braces. They are a set of clear plastic removable aligners that are designed to work according to the doctors detailed treatment plan and instructions. These aligners only function effectively if worn appropriately, therefore patient cooperation is imperative to success. While many general dentists can offer Invisalign services, it is best to go to an orthodontist who specializes in aligning teeth.
Orthognathic Surgery
A small percentage of patients have bite problems and/or facial deformities that require orthodontic treatment in combination with jaw surgery to correct the underlying issues to obtain an ideal result. These patients often have excessive or deficient upper or lower jaw growth or facial asymmetries that cause severe esthetic or functional problems. Dr. Harry is very experienced with these types of cases and works in concert with the most experienced surgeons to provide the best results possible.