Teeth, and sometimes entire facial structures, are permanently changed by orthodontic treatment. It’s important the treatment is appropriate and properly completed. Orthodontic specialists have extensive and specialised training that allows them to provide their patients with professional, personalised treatments.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, once treatment begins we’ll explain the complete instructions and provide a comprehensive list of foods to avoid. Some of the foods to avoid will include ice, hard lollies and all sticky foods such as toffees, minties, rollups, redskins, chewing gum and caramels. You can avoid most emergency appointments to repair broken or damaged braces by carefully following our instructions.
The Australian Association of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic screening at age eight. By this age several permanent teeth in most children have erupted, allowing us to effectively evaluate you orthodontic condition.
Yes, the decision is always up to the parents as to whether or not to attend their child’s appointments. We do encourage parents to accompany their child as often as possible and remind you that our office closing time is 5pm.
Yes, there’s no reason why you can’t return to school on the same day.
Apart from the initial consultation and longer appointments such as fitting of braces, the majority of shorter adjustment appointments can usually be scheduled before or after school. Our staff will always do their best to assist in meeting your scheduling requirements.
Yes, though we recommend wearing a mouth guard for all contact sports, whether you have braces or not.
Yes, a tooth with a crown will move just like a tooth that has a simple filling. When teeth are missing, orthodontic treatment will help the alignment of the remaining teeth.
Yes, some orthodontic problems are significant enough to require early intervention. However, if a patient is not yet ready for treatment, we’ll follow that patient’s growth and development until the time is right for the treatment to begin.
At some visits, teeth may be tender for a few days. This discomfort is usually managed quite easily with mild analgesics, such as those used for headaches. In our practice we use the most sophisticated and technologically advanced super elastic wires to dramatically reduce force levels, which minimise the potential for discomfort.
Yes! Regular check-ups with your family dentist are important while in braces. Your family dentist will give you recommendations as to the intervals between cleaning appointments while you’re in braces.
No, needles / injections are not necessary in orthodontic treatment.
Absolutely not! We believe that every patient should be provided with their own braces to achieve the best orthodontic result possible.
No referral is necessary. Many of our patients are referred by their family dentist while other patients take the initiative to schedule an examination themselves.
Simply call our office on 07 3229 1027 or send us an email. We’ll be happy to schedule an appointment for you. When you call to schedule an appointment, our front office staff will request some basic information from you.
Alternatively – to request an appointment, please submit our Appointment Request form. One of our staff will then contact you to confirm the details of your appointment.
Treatment time obviously depends on each patient’s specific orthodontic problem. In general, treatment time can last 8 to 30 months. The ‘average’ time a person is in braces is 18 to 24 months.
It’s impossible to give an exact cost for treatment for you until we have examined you and determined what treatment you may require. We’ll go over the exact cost and financial options during your initial examination. We have several financing options available to accommodate your needs, and we’ll review these with you. We’re also happy to review your insurance policy to help maximise your allowable benefits.
Patients with braces should brush their teeth at least four times each day – after each meal and before going to bed. We will show each patient how to floss their teeth with braces and may also provide a prescription for a special fluoride, if necessary.
Appointments are scheduled according to each patient’s needs. Most patients in braces will be seen every four to eight weeks. If there are specific situations that require more frequent monitoring, we’ll schedule appointments accordingly.
You might be surprised to learn that 25% of all our orthodontic patients are adults. Health, happiness and self-esteem are vitally important to people of all ages. No patient is ‘too old’ to wear braces or have perfectly straight teeth!
Never hesitate to call or email us with your questions. We’re here to provide care and service that exceeds our patients’ expectations. No question is too insignificant or ‘silly’ when it comes to your health and wellbeing.
If your braces are causing pain or something breaks and is irritating, you should call our office immediately. In many cases, we can address these issues over the phone and if you require an emergency appointment, we’ll set aside a time for you.
Phase one treatment, if necessary, is usually initiated on children between the ages of 7 and 10 and lasts from 6 to 18 months. The primary objective is to address significant problems to prevent them from becoming more severe and to improve self-esteem and self-image.
After a friendly greeting from our staff, we’ll have you fill in an information form. You’ll then be introduced to your orthodontist who’ll complete a thorough clinical examination. Treatment options and associated costs will be explained in full, and there’ll be plenty of opportunity for you to ask questions.
There are 5 essential questions we will cover during the initial examination:
- Is there an orthodontic problem – and if so, what is it?
- What needs to be done to correct the problem?
- How long will the treatment take to complete?
- How much will the treatment cost?
- What payment options are available?
Surgical orthodontics, also known as orthognathic surgery, is a type of orthodontic treatment used to correct severe cases that include bad bites, jawbone abnormalities, and malocclusion.
Surgical orthodontics may be used to treat adults with improper bites or other aesthetic concerns. Typically, the jaw stops growing by age 16 in females and 18 in males. In order to be a candidate for orthognathic surgery, the jaw must have completed growing. Surgical orthodontics is needed when the jaws don’t line up correctly and a proper bite can’t be achieved with orthodontic treatment alone.
Orthognathic surgery will help properly align the jaws, which in conjunction with orthodontic braces will then be used to move the teeth into their proper position.
Using the latest in digital imaging technology we’ll demonstrate the overall functional and aesthetic benefits of orthognathic surgery. Computerised treatment planning minimises treatment times, recovery periods and the overall effectiveness of your surgery. State-of-the-art materials such as titanium plates and miniature screws provide stability, strength and predictability to your treatment. These advances in technology, procedures and equipment reduce post-surgical recovery time, allowing patients to return to their normal routines soon after the surgery.
Removing teeth is sometimes required to achieve the best orthodontic result as the goals are straight teeth and a balanced facial profile. However, because new technology has provided advanced orthodontic procedures, removing teeth is not always necessary for orthodontic treatment.
At the completion of the initial examination, we’ll determine whether the patient will need an expander.
It is best to assume your child will need full braces even after full Phase One treatment. The period following Phase One treatment is called the ‘resting period’ during which growth and tooth eruption are closely monitored. Throughout this period parents and patients will be kept informed of recommendations for future treatments.
No, they won’t. The space available for the front teeth doesn’t increase as you grow. In most people, after the permanent molars erupt, the space available for the front teeth decreases with age.