Office Visits
Our greatest goal is to give you the healthy, straight, beautiful smile that you've always wanted. We understand that choosing to receive orthodontic care is a big decision, and we respect your reasons for wanting to improve the way you look and feel. Our practice will work with you every step of the way to make sure that your orthodontic care is as comfortable, convenient, and rewarding as possible. We'll use the latest technology, offering a variety of safe and gentle treatment options, giving you the customized, individual care that you deserve.
Your First Visit
Our goal is to make your first visit as informative as possible. We want to provide you with a complete understanding of all your treatment options and a familiarity with each team members' role in your orthodontic care.
During the initial visit to our office either Dr. Stern or Dr. Stavisky will examine the overall condition of the jaws and teeth. They will perform a comprehensive examination to determine the type of malocclusion that is present. (Orthodontists use the word malocclusion to describe a variety of tooth and jaw problems. A malocclusion mal means "badly" and occlude means "to close" is a condition where the jaws and teeth do not close together properly.)The type of malocclusion helps to determine the best time to start treatment, the type of treatment that may be necessary and the approximate duration of the treatment.
If Dr. Stern and Dr. Stavisky feel that treatment is needed at the time of the initial examination, they will recommend that full diagnostic records are taken. These records may be taken at the initial appointment or if it is more convenient, another appointment may be made on another day.
For some children, orthodontic treatment is indicated, but would be better accomplished after further dento-facial growth and development. If this is the case, your child would be reevaluated every four to six months until the timing is ideal to begin orthodontic care. There is no charge for these follow-up visits.
Diagnostic Records
Diagnostic records typically consist of two specialized orthodontic x-rays (usually very different from the x-rays that you may have experienced at your dentist's office), study models or intra-oral scans of the teeth and facial and dental photographs. These records assist Drs. Stern and Stavisky to formulate a full diagnosis and treatment plan. This appointment generally takes approximately 30 minutes.
Consultation
After the diagnostic records appointment a consultation appointment will be scheduled for you. Dr. Stern and Dr. Stavisky will have studied all of the diagnostic records and they will have determined the best course of treatment for your child. Drs. Stern and Stavisky review the diagnostic records and formulate your treatment plan TOGETHER. That way you can be assured that everyone is "on the same page" and that you can expect the best care possible from either doctor.
During your consultation visit we will review your orthodontic treatment needs and your individualized treatment plan. We will also provide an estimate of treatment time and discuss some of the problems that can be associated with orthodontic treatment.
Once the treatment plan has been discussed, we will discuss financial arrangements including insurance benefits. Our office feels that finances should never be an obstacle to treatment. Our goal is to work with you to provide a variety of financial options for you to choose from.
Visiting the Dentist during orthodontic treatment
It is very important that you continue to visit your family dentist once every six months, even during your orthodontic treatment, for teeth cleanings and routine dental checkups. If extra dental care is needed, we will be happy to coordinate with your family dentist to make sure that you are receiving the best care possible.