First Visit

As you enter the world of orthodontics and braces, there are a few things we would like to share with you. As always, we want you to be fully informed about our procedures and treatment goals.

After your initial visit, we will present you with an orthodontic evaluation and treatment recommendations. Following this process, we will take diagnostic records. These records (X-rays, photos and study models) may be taken at the initial visit to save you from making an additional trip to our office. They are vital to treatment planning and for monitoring your progress throughout treatment.

After we take your records, the next step may be to have separators (spacers) placed in order to prepare the teeth for the fitting of metal bands in molar areas. Separators are extremely important and will allow for a more comfortable placement of your braces. If you experience discomfort with separators, Dr. Stull recommends an over-the-counter pain relief medication. Dr. Stull also recommends that you avoid sticky, chewy foods while wearing separators. We may advise you to call our office if a separator comes out. We will thoroughly explain this process if you require separators.

We also recommend that you take the prescribed dosage of over-the-counter pain relief medication prior to having your braces placed.

Our technicians are highly trained and will spend significant time with you at the end of your appointment to review caring for your braces and what you may expect in the first few days after your braces are placed.

Appointments

During your treatment, the average interval between adjustments is 6-8 weeks. During the “active” phase of your treatment, the majority of your appointments will take less than 30 minutes.

Longer appointments (those in which we will add or reposition braces) may be necessary during active treatment. These appointments cannot be scheduled after school (or in the late afternoon) because they take an extended period of time, generally between 45 and 90 minutes.

During each appointment, we will schedule your next adjustment appointment. Make sure you receive a printed appointment ticket from us before you leave.

Our automated appointment system, HouseCalls™, will call and remind you of your next appointment the day before you are scheduled. We urge you to save your printed appointment ticket and mark the date on a calendar, as our reminder system is not compatible with certain telephone answering devices.

Every appointment is vital to the success of your treatment outcome. If you are unable to keep an appointment, please call us as soon as possible to reschedule. Missed appointments will lengthen your estimated treatment time.

If a problem occurs with your braces, call our office so we can determine if it is necessary for you to schedule an appointment relating to the problem.

You can schedule emergency appointments Monday through Friday. In the event that a lengthy repair is needed, you may be rescheduled for a longer appointment.

We hope you will have a pleasant experience during your orthodontic treatment and are excited that you have chosen our practice to seek a more healthy and attractive smile. Again, we welcome your questions and are always happy to help you.

Together we will work to create your winning smile!