A lot of kids and even some adults can feel anxious about attending an initial assessment. Knowing what to expect can help prepare you for the appointment and eliminate any anxiety.
Before the appointment
If you have had a referral and/or any relevant x-rays (a panoramic, head film or CBCT) taken by another dentist or specialist please send it to our office before your consultation so we have time to view this imaging. If there is a referral, please send this to us. We will take the time to review any imaging and information you can provide us before your appointment. You will be sent a new patient form to complete and return to us prior to your appointment. This information is really useful to us to allow us to treat our patients safely.
Arriving For Your Appointment
Our clinic can be found in Classic House (Intelecta Centre) at 15 Murphy Street. On arrival, you will be greeted by our friendly receptionist. While you’re waiting for your appointment, you can enjoy the lovely city and harbour views from our waiting room. The consultation usually takes about 15-20 minutes.
The Appointment
A panoramic x-ray is taken to assess the development of all the teeth and screen for any anomalies. The orthodontist (Divya) will meet and greet you. We will ask you about any concerns that you, or your dentist or oral health therapist have about your teeth. Your orthodontist will assess your face, profile, jaw function, your teeth, your bite, and smile. All this helps to work out if there are any orthodontic problems and, if so when they might need to be addressed.
There Is Usually One Of Two Outcomes After The Initial Consultation.
Ready for orthodontic treatment – this means that there are problems that can be helped with orthodontic treatment and the timing for treatment is appropriate.. Before any orthodontic treatment is commenced, records will be taken (this may occur as a second appointment) and you will be provided with a comprehensive treatment plan that outlines the orthodontic treatment, cost, estimated duration, and any risks or special considerations.
Not yet ready for treatment – This might be because your child is still growing or developing, we might be waiting on more adult teeth to come through, or in some instances, an appointment may be needed with a dentist or another specialist before we can start treatment. If not ready for treatment, your orthodontist will advise what the appropriate timeframe is for a review. A review appointment (which is very similar to consultation) is usually scheduled for 6-12 months. We don’t charge for review appointments unless an x-ray needs to be repeated.
So now you know exactly what to expect at the orthodontic consultation!
Please feel free to contact our office to book an appointment.