First Visit
Consultation with Dr. Picard
The first appointment at our office is an initial consultation, where you meet with Dr. Picard to go over your dental issues. She will walk you through the different treatment options, along with conducting a clinical orthodontic examination.
The goal of the initial consultation is to answer:
- What problems are present and why?
- When is the right time to start treatment?
- What type of treatment is necessary?
- How long will the treatment take to work?
- How much is everything going to cost?
What is the treatment cost?
- The treatment cost varies in each case, but it is mostly influenced by the type of treatment deemed necessary after your initial consultation and the type of appliances used. For example, Hidden braces may cost more than clear or metal braces but the complexity of treatment will also have an impact on the overall cost.
- A Standard Information Form for Certified Orthodontics is provided to each patient during the initial consultation. It is possible to send the form to your insurance company, if you receive insurance benefits as a pre-determination for coverage.
- Payment plans are available to ensure the orthodontic treatment is more affordable.
What does orthodontic treatment include?
- The first step to treatment involves creating orthodontic records. This includes x-rays, study models of your teeth, photographs and the treatment plan created by Dr. Picard where your treatment objectives are listed.
- The treatment consists of all the appliances, appointments for adjustments and checks that are performed at the clinic.
- if some appliance requires adjustment or replacement during the treatment, it is possible you will be charged if it was caused by neglect or if the appliance was lost. Examples of negligence include eating foods that were prohibited when you got your braces.
- Treatment also includes the set of retainers you receive after the treatment is complete – along with monitoring for one year after treatment completion.
- The orthodontic records, which are comprised of x-rays, personalized growth study workups and study models will help determine the treatment objective
What’s Next?
If it is indicated that you require orthodontic treatment, an appointment is made and is called: diagnostic Records. There are cases where Diagnostic Records are partially completed during the initial visit.
What are Diagnostic Records?
- Study models of the teeth.
- Photographs.
- Panoramic and cephalogram radiographs or tracings.
- A doctor’s study of the diagnostic records and a determination regarding the best course of treatment.