Your First Visit
Prior to your first visit with us, you will receive an information letter emailed to you about our clinic and what to expect.
This email will include:
It is essential that you complete the medical history questionnaire prior to your appointment and bring your dental referral letter (if you have one) to your initial consultation appointment.
We encourage you to arrive early for your first appointment, to finalise any paperwork.
We will then escort the new patient into our clinical area, and take a Panoramic x-ray (OPG) if one hasn't been provided for us, and a series of digital photographs of the face and teeth.
Next the orthodontist will undertake a review of the medical and dental history, and then progress to taking a thorough examination of the face, jaws and teeth. The orthodontist will then discuss in detail the findings of the examination while showing you the photographs and x-ray taken previously. At this time, usually one of three things may be discussed.
- The patient needs, and is ready for some form of orthodontic treatment.
- The patient will need some form of orthodontic treatment, but is not yet ready.
- The patient does not require orthodontic treatment.
Should the patient be ready for treatment, then often further preparatory work may be undertaken on the same day. This may include having a Lateral Cephalogram x-ray taken, a 3D scan of your teeth, or moulds of the teeth taken. For your convenience, our clinic has the equipment necessary to take the most common orthodontic x-rays on site. There is usually no need to make a separate visit to a radiology clinic. Once your examination is complete, the orthodontist will discuss the findings, and give you a complete picture of what is recommended should a course of treatment be indicated. You will be equipped with all the information to make an informed decision on your treatment method, along with costs, outcomes and timeframes expected.
If treatment is likely to be needed, but further growth and development of the patient is required before they can start, then it may be convenient to place the patient on our continuing care system. We can then contact you after the prescribed period of time has passed and review any changes. By doing this, it means that treatment may be commenced at their optimum growth phase. This is to try to make treatment as short as possible with the best results possible.
If it is indicated that treatment is not needed at this time, but likely to be necessary down the track, the orthodontist may place you on a review list. This way the growth and development of the teeth and jaws can be closely monitored, and treatment can be initiated at the right time to ensure the best results for the patient.