For new patients
Should you have a consultation?
If you have concerns about your or your child’s bite, tooth alignment or smile in general, then please come in for a consultation. You don’t need a referral and we are very happy to see children and adults of any age.
Children who may need treatment but are still too young for it, we will see at six monthly intervals until they are ready for treatment to begin. We make no charge for these review visits.
When you come and see us
When you first visit our practice, you will find that it looks somewhat similar to that of a dentist and that you sit in a dentist chair when we examine you. We then discuss your concerns regarding the appearance and function of your teeth and answer your questions.
If you may need treatment, we take records that allow us to make a thorough assessment. These take the form of notes, photos and X-rays of your face and teeth, and impressions of your teeth by briefly pressing a tray of gooey material into the top and then the bottom ones. If instead of you we examine your child, we fully include your child in the discussions and also ensure that he or she is feeling relaxed and comfortable.
If we then recommend that you will benefit from orthodontic treatment, we explain the options available and discuss them, so you are fully informed before you make any decisions. We also provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan that provides you with information you need in writing, such as the best treatment for you or your child, its aim, duration and total cost.
Cost
Our charges are clear and simple:
Consultation: One modest fee with no charge for follow up reviews.
Records: One modest charge for all records we take before, during and after treatment.
Treatment: A fixed all inclusive treatment cost determined by the type of treatment you will receive. There are no surprises or extra costs later, except if you lose your retainers.
Payment: You may pay a deposit and then pay the balance by interest free instalments during treatment.
Refunds: If you are in a health fund, you may receive a part refund of the treatment fee, depending on your health insurance fund and plan.
How braces work
Braces consist of metal or ceramic brackets that we fix to your teeth with adhesive, and an arch wire that connects them. It is called arch wire because its shape is like the arches of your teeth in your mouth.
We bend the arch wire to reflect the positions we want your teeth to be in after treatment. As the wire slowly resumes its original shape, it gently guides your teeth to their ideal position over time.
During your orthodontic treatment
Once your braces are on, you’ll visit us every second month so we can check on your progress and adjust your braces or other orthodontic appliance that you may be wearing, if necessary.
Initially your braces may feel uncomfortable for a few days but this disappears as your mouth becomes used to them. Braces need to be worn for different lengths of time depending on the patient’s situation, but most patients wear them for a period of between one and three years.
During this time, you need to visit your dentist regularly to have your teeth thoroughly cleaned and checked.
If while wearing braces, you have an accident, breakage or loose wire, you need to call us so we can see you quickly to rectify the matter.
After your braces come off
After we have removed your braces, you will need to wear a retainer for some time to keep your teeth in their new positions. The retainer may be a light plate that you put in and take of your mouth yourself, or a thin flexible wire that we adhere to the back of your teeth so it is invisible from the outside.
