All of my Juneau, Bothell, Mill Creek and Monroe Invisalign and braces patients kick off their smile journey with a consultation. At Richard Chan Orthodontics, this first visit is complimentary because I know choosing an orthodontist is a big decision. I want you to have all the information you need about what happens at a consultation for braces or Invisalign to feel confident about moving forward. Here’s what to expect at your braces or Invisalign consultation at our practice:
Meet the Richard Chan Orthodontics Team
As soon as you walk into the office, our team members will greet you with a smile. If you arrive at your orthodontic consultation early, you’ll be able to unwind in our comfortable reception area. To get a head start, you can fill out our new patient form and bring it along with you to your visit. A team member will give you a tour of our bright, modern office before taking you back to the treatment area.
Diagnostic Records and Exam
While what happens at an orthodontist consultation will vary slightly depending on the practice, it will typically involve taking some diagnostic records, which allows the doctor to determine which orthodontic issues need correcting. At my practice, we get your medical and dental history, take complimentary digital x-rays and take digital impressions of your teeth, if needed. I then perform a thorough examination to evaluate your bite. Using your records and my exam findings, I can develop an accurate diagnosis. While every patient is unique, the most common problems I treat, include:
- Crowding – This is when there isn’t enough room in the jaw to accommodate all of the teeth. To squeeze in there, teeth may overlap or stick out.
- Spacing – Spacing is characterized by gaps between two or more teeth.
- Overbite – If the top teeth stick out too far beyond the bottom teeth, we refer to it as an overbite, or overjet.
- Underbite – When your upper teeth sit behind your lower teeth when your mouth is closed, it’s called an underbite.
- Open Bite – An open bite is characterized by upper and lower teeth that don’t meet when the jaws are closed.
- Deep Bite – This is when the top front teeth overlap over the bottom teeth too much, and the bottom front teeth cannot be seen as much as normal.
- Crossbite – A crossbite is when some of the bottom teeth are in front or outside of the top teeth.
- Upper Front Teeth Protrusion – Upper front teeth protrusion is a fancy way of saying your top front teeth stick out.
Chat About Your Orthodontic Treatment Options
Once I have a diagnosis, I’ll sit down with you to walk you through my findings and talk about your goals for treatment. Parents are, of course, welcome and encouraged to attend their child’s Invisalign or braces consultation. I’ll go over your treatment options and the pros and cons of each. At Richard Chan Orthodontics, I offer:
- Conventional Metal Braces – Metal braces are comprised of a system of brackets and wires and remain the most common type of orthodontic treatment today because they’re so effective. A lot of younger patients love metal braces because they can choose colorful elastics to go with them.
- Conventional Clear Braces – Ceramic braces, or clear braces, work the same as metal braces. However, the brackets are made from a translucent, ceramic material that blends in with your smile, making them less noticeable. Our adult and older teen patients often prefer clear braces over metal braces.
- Invisalign – Invisalign involves a series of customized, clear, BPA-free plastic aligners. At your Invisalign consultation, I map out your tooth movements on a 3D model of your mouth and then Invisalign fabricates the aligners based on my prescription. Each set of removable aligners is programmed to achieve specific tooth movements and as you make your way through your trays, your new smile takes shape.
- Invisalign Teen – Invisalign Teen aligners are like regular Invisalign aligners but they’re designed especially for teens. They have features like eruption tabs to accommodate erupting molars, compliance indicators and a few free replacement aligners included in the system.
Once you’ve chosen which treatment option you’d like to go with, I’ll be able to let you know how long your treatment will last, exactly what you can expect and answer any questions you have. A team member will wrap up your Invisalign or braces consultation by going over your insurance, the cost of orthodontic treatment and our flexible financing options. Our goal is for you to be able to make an informed decision about your care and be excited to get started and this requires us to enlighten you on what happens at a consultation for braces.
Ready to get your dream smile? Schedule your free braces or Invisalign consultation at Richard Chan Orthodontics today!
