The best questions to ask Expand Choosing the best professional to meet your needs is more important than your choice of brace. Take the time to make sure your provider has the necessary skill and experience, and find out what can and cannot be achieved. If you are unsure, you can always get a second opinion. Here are some questions you might like to ask: What are the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of treatment? What will happen if I decide not to have treatment? Do you recommend a range of choices for treatment? What kind of treatment do you recommend? Is there an alternative treatment? How many cases have you treated?
Always see a trained professional Expand If you are considering having orthodontic treatment, it’s absolutely vital to see a suitably trained professional. They will have the knowledge, expertise and experience to make sure you’re guided through this complicated medical process in a safe, appropriate and effective way. Before you start any treatment, you need to be checked to make sure that you are suitable for orthodontic treatment. This is not just to make sure that the treatment will work – it’s to make sure that it is safe for you. Your oral health needs to be up to a certain standard before you can have braces. So, before treatment, a dentist or orthodontist will examine you to make sure your bones and gums are healthy. They may also take scans, impressions and photographs of your teeth. Once you know you are suitable for treatment, they will tell you about the various options you have. You’ll learn more about the different brace types and their cost. All of this will put you in a far better position to decide which treatment is best for you, and what will give you the best chance of achieving the healthy smile you're after.
Keep up your regular visits to your dental team Expand During and after your treatment, it is important to see your dental team regularly. They can help you understand what you need to do to look after your brace, and will check your progress to make sure your course of treatment is going to plan. You will also be able to talk to them about any questions or concerns you have. The dental team will be a key part of making sure you get the results that you are hoping to from your treatment.
Don’t cut corners or gamble on your oral health Expand You may have seen online companies offer orthodontic treatment at a lower cost. But many people who go down this route may find that they pay a hefty cost later on. Going down the ‘cheap and cheerful’ route and getting orthodontic treatment without a trained professional can be very dangerous. Instead of fixing the position of your teeth, you might make them worse. If you don’t see a trained professional, you also won’t know if there are any problems in your mouth that may make you unsuitable for this kind of treatment. You may also not find out about the whole range of treatments that are available to you. This could mean that you end up paying for a service that isn’t right for your individual needs. It is so important to make sure that your orthodontic treatment always involves a qualified professional. They can make sure that you are safe every step of the way and that the treatment you have is right for you.
Keep great oral health Expand Keeping great oral health is essential for everybody. But if you don’t do this during your treatment – which can last up to two years – you can be more at risk of oral health problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. It also can hamper how effective the treatment is. If you don’t look after your teeth, gums and braces, it will be more difficult and may cost you more to get the smile you want. Clean your teeth and the brace thoroughly after meals. Cut down on how often you have sugary foods and drinks, and avoid sticky and hard foods which may damage your brace.
Consider your options Expand There are many different options when it comes to getting orthodontic treatment. It’s important to consider which is best for you and be clear about the result you want to achieve. Do you want to have treatment for purely cosmetic reasons? Do you need treatment to improve your bite and comfort? How much can you afford to spend on the treatment? These are just a few of the questions you may need to answer, and show why it’s important to consider what route you want to take to get to the healthy smile you’re hoping to arrive at. Don’t rush into a decision about treatment without thinking about whether it’s suitable for your needs, circumstances and goals.
Do your research Expand Many people think of orthodontic treatment as a purely cosmetic improvement. But it is important to remember that it is really a medical treatment. For that reason, it is not something that you should go into half-heartedly. The results can be fantastic, but while the treatment takes place it will affect your day-to-day life including the things you can eat and drink. It is so important to do your research and learn about the treatment you are considering. Do everything you can to put yourself in the best possible position to make the right decision.