If you have not selected a small number of Ottawa orthodontists that will serve as primary candidates for consultations, then click on Selecting an Ottawa Orthodontist to Suit Your Needs for more information on that stage of the selection process. The information this article is about to yield will help you through the consultation phase, when you are consulting with a few select orthodontists regarding your treatment options.
Walk into the first meeting with a clear set of expectations of your orthodontist. Make a list of priorities that best defines what you will value most in the treatment. If, for example, you are concerned about suffering from an allergic reaction, you will want to ask what kind of backup plan they have for, say, a rubber allergy. (Up to one-third of female patients suffer from allergies to some element of the orthodontic apparatuses, whether it be rubber bands, archwires, brackets, braces, and so on.) The main point is that you should be able to assert your desire for the best care, according to your specific needs. You can expect your orthodontist to accommodate to whatever those needs entail.
In the event that you are concerned with receiving the most technologically advanced treatment plan, then be sure to ask about the newest treatments your orthodontist performs. Probe for details regarding your specific case, enquiring about which options the Ottawa orthodontist is equipped for, which they are not, why, etc.
Invisalign, for example, is frequently sought after. As the name suggests, it provides many of the same treatments that braces do, but it does so without being as obvious. The technology uses a number of plastic castings, which can be removed, like a retainer, for up to two hours of each day for meals and cleaning.
As the method is still relatively, however, there is only a short list of certified Invisalign providers in the Ottawa area. These Ottawa orthodontists simply take a number of impressions and X-rays of their patients, then send the information to the main research and development center. The first set of castings are then sent a few weeks afterward, to be exchanged for a new set every two weeks. Invisalign is not yet as versatile as other types of orthodontic procedures, so it may not be able to correct you or your child’s teeth, so .
But regardless of the orthodontist, facility, and treatment plan, ask for a number of before-and-after photos for cases similar to yours. These will give you a great idea of what you will be paying for, and after speaking with a number of orthodontists Ottawa in the area, will be a great resource for comparing various treatment plans. In addition, ask about financing and price. More particularly, ask whether the price is fixed or, if not, enquire as to what could occur to drive the estimate upwards.
To provide a guide-post, most cases take approximately three years to complete, with a removable retainer taking the first year, and braces being required for the subsequent two. If your Ottawa orthodontist’s treatment plan is different, ask why. You want to communicate that you are interested in receiving the best treatment and, at the same time, assess whether they are confident that they can give that to you.
