Your first visit to get braces is very easy. After you fill out the necessary paperwork, we will take a cephalometric and panoramic radiograph.
The panoramic radiograph allows us to see your jaw bone level, wisdom teeth, missing or extra teeth, and any anomalies in your jaw.
The cephalometric radiograph shows us the protrusion or retrusion of your teeth. In other words, that picture allows us to determine how much or little your teeth stick out.
Once X-rays are completed, your orthodontist will try to get to know you and understand your treatment goals. Most people just “want straight teeth,” which is completely fine, but if you have any specific concerns, you will review them with your orthodontist at this point.
After reviewing the radiographs, the orthodontist will look at your teeth with a mirror. Due to years of training and seeing such a variety of patients, most orthodontists will come up with a treatment plan for you right at this moment.
At our Thrive offices, we ensure that you do not have to return for any other visits because we respect your time. At this initial consultation visit, you will learn how long your treatment will be, the financial costs, any appliances you may need, and your treatment options.
The insurance coordinator will review your financials after the orthodontist answers your treatment questions.
We have three payment options at our locations.
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- Pay in full and get a discount on the overall cost
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- Utilize CareCredit and extend your payment plans
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- In-office payment plans for the duration of your treatment.
The initial consultation takes roughly thirty to forty-five minutes, depending on the severity of your case and how many questions you may have.
Placement
You can get your braces placed on the same day of your consultation! As mentioned, we respect your time and don’t believe in creating extra appointments for no reason.
If you feel comfortable with the treatment plan and finances, we place braces on the same day as your consultation.
Braces placement is a very easy procedure that does not involve drilling or numbing. We will initially take a set of pictures for internal use. We use these pictures to show you your before-and-after and study them for further knowledge.
After the pictures are completed, we will start the braces placement process. This involves using etch to roughen the teeth, bond to fill in small gaps, and composite glue the braces on.
As mentioned before, no drilling or needles are involved when placing braces. The only uncomfortable part is keeping your mouth open for roughly 10-20 minutes to properly glue on all of your braces.
Adjustments
After placing your braces, we typically see you every six weeks during your orthodontic treatment.
These adjustment visits are quick and do not take more than 30 minutes. During these visits, we will adjust the wire, give you rubber bands, change your colors, etc.
It’s worth noting that many patients believe their brace’s colors will change during treatment, but what’s happening is we are changing the colors that surround the braces. You can choose from various colors every time you come in.
Color choices are one of the best things about braces. Many patients change their colors or bands for specific holidays or special events. They also often coordinate outfits or school colors with their braces.
Conclusion
Getting your braces is very comfortable and easy if you know what to expect. You will get a few X-rays during your initial visit, and we will review your treatment plan and finances.
If you want to move forward, we can place your braces on the same day to save you time. During the braces placement process, there are no needles or drilling involved. It is easy and does not take more than thirty minutes.
After getting braces, we will see you every six weeks for your braces treatment.
