Your Treatment Journey at Bishops Stortford Orthodontics
At Bishops Stortford Orthodontics, our team wants to ensure that you are comfortable with your treatment journey, from the very first consultation to the completion of your treatment.
To achieve this, we believe it is important that you understand how the orthodontic treatment process works. Although every patient has a unique treatment plan prepared just for them, here is a guide to the general process.
Your initial consultation
We offer each of our patients a free initial consultation to start their orthodontic treatment. There is no obligation to proceed with treatment but by attending this appointment, you can gather all the information you need to make the right decision for you and your smile.
At your initial consultation, we will assess your teeth and jaws to determine what your orthodontic needs are. From here we prepare a bespoke treatment plan for you, including a quote for treatment, and explain our finance options.
Fitting your appliance
If you've decided to go ahead with treatment, we ask you to come back in so we can prepare your appliance. This is usually done using the iTero Digital Scanner, the latest in orthodontic technology. This scanner gently scans your mouth, giving us a 3D view of your teeth and jaws so we can get your appliance custom-made.
Once your braces or Invisalign aligners are ready, it's time to fit them to your teeth. This appointment will take approximately one hour, during which we'll also provide you with advice on how to look after your teeth and your appliance to maintain good oral health and get the very best result.
During your treatment journey
The duration of treatment will be explained in your bespoke plan; however, most orthodontic courses take between 12 and 24 months. During this time, we'll ask you to come in for a checkup once every 6-8 weeks so we can check on your progress. We want to make sure your teeth are heading in the desired direction.
Between these checkups, it is up to you to look after your teeth and braces. How well you adhere to your oral hygiene practices will determine the result of your treatment. If you have any questions about what you can or can't eat or want advice on better brushing techniques, you can ask us at your appointments or give us a call.
Keeping your teeth straight
Once your teeth have reached their newly straightened position, it's important that we keep them there. You can do this by wearing retainers. This phase is essential if you want your teeth to stay straight.
Retainers are similar to small mouthguards, which you'll be advised to wear once your appliance has been removed. Initially, you'll need to wear your retainer day and night for about three months. Once the initial few months have passed, you’ll be able to wear them just at night. We will also ask you to come in and see us so that we can check that your teeth have remained straight.
For more information on our treatment process at Bishops Stortford Orthodontics, give our friendly team a call today.