Patient Information
Your First Visit
We look forward to making your first visit to our office an enlightening experience. During this time, we will help you get acquainted with our office and learn about your orthodontic treatment. We understand that each patient's orthodontic treatment is different, and we promise to give you the personal attention you deserve. Your first visit will consist of an examination and discussion of potential treatment options. This important visit will address your orthodontic needs to determine if this is the proper time to begin treatment. Once we have taken the necessary diagnostic records, we conduct a treatment consultation to explain all aspects of your treatment in detail. We will provide a complete clinical diagnosis regarding the nature of the problem, a written summary of the findings and a detailed plan that outlines your treatment, goals and estimated fees. We encourage questions from both the patient and the parent, and as such, we provide ample time to answer all of your questions.
Medical Forms
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First Aid
What to do in case of emergency Call our office during normal business hours if you break or loosen any of your appliances. Our emergency line is available on the answering machine and is for patients who are in pain or extremely uncomfortable. Please do not come directly to the office – by calling us, you will allow us to create a time to see you. Even if you have a regular appointment scheduled, call us immediately to notify us if you need an appliance repaired.
Loose brackets or bands
Call our office immediately if a bracket or wire is broken, our emergency line is available on the answering machine for patients in pain or extremely uncomfortable. The bracket may need to be recemented as soon as possible. There may also be situations where you may have to cut a wire or slide a bracket off a wire yourself at night or over the weekend. If this happens, please call our office the next business day so that we can make an appointment for it to be repaired.
If you do need to cut a wire in case of emergency, please use fingernail clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol to do so and call our office as soon as possible to make an appointment.
Wire irritations
Sometimes discomfort caused by a wire on your braces can be resolved by putting some orthodontic wax onto it. If the wire is poking, you can try to cut it with nail clippers that have been washed and sterilized in alcohol. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation, please call our office for an appointment.
Lost separators
Sometimes patients may lose a separator during their treatment. Please our office in case it needs to be replaced.
Discomfort with orthodontic treatment
During the first couple of weeks after your braces are placed and after certain adjustments are completed, you will likely feel some soreness or discomfort. To relieve your discomfort, you may take acetaminophen or other non-aspirin pain relievers while you adjust to your new braces. A warm washcloth or heating pad may reduce the soreness in your jaws. If your discomfort lasts for more than a normal amount of time, please call our office in order to speak to someone in the office who can advise you on what to do. It’s important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange a special appointment for repair.
Foods to Avoid
For most situations, common sense will tell you what to avoid. Hard foods, sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing and chewing on foreign objects should be avoided.
Examples of Sticky Foods
to Avoid:
- Gum (sugar-free or regular)
- Licorice
- Sugar Daddies
- Toffee
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Starburst
Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:
- Ice
- Nuts
- Hard taco shells
- French bread crust/rolls
- Corn on the cob
- Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
- Bagels Chips
- Jolly Ranchers
- Pizza crust
- Uncooked carrots (unless cut)
Minimize Sugary Foods like:
- Cake
- Ice Cream
- Cookies
- Pie
- Candy
It’s important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange an appointment for repair.
