Questions About Your Dental Care
- Who will place my braces?
- How will my braces look?
- What about cost?
- What can I expect at the first visit?
- How long will treatment take?
- How frequent are appointments?
- Will I spend a lot of time in the waiting room?
- Emergency Care
Who will place my braces?
Dr. Newell will place all of your braces and appliances. While Dr. Newell does work with highly trained assistants, he firmly believes that the precise placement of the braces and related appliances is crucial for the success of your treatment. For that reason, for he has been placing all appliances for his entire career in private practice. He is also the only doctor in the practice which means you will see him at every appointment.
How will my braces look?
Today there are quite a few options to consider when creating that smile you've always wanted:
- Traditional silver with elastic ties: The most traditional type of brace where you can change the colors of the elastic ties every visit.
- Clear: We use a very esthetic ceramic type brace that uses no elastic ties. Staining and yellowing from food and beverages is virtually eliminated!
- Self-ligating: A traditional brace without the elastic ties. Read all about the benefits under the "Treatments- What's New" column
- Invisalign: A way to straighten your teeth by wearing a nearly invisible aligner.
What about cost?
In our country we have come to expect the very best dentistry in the world. Orthodontic treatment, which was once considered to be a luxury, is now readily available and affordable for most patients. Considering that the benefits of orthodontic care can last a lifetime, the cost is quite modest.
Treatment costs are generally determined by the type of treatment required and the length of time that it will take. We strive to make our care affordable to everyone. As a service to our patients, we provide a number of interest free, flexible payment options. Our staff will be happy to assist you with your insurance and Dr. Newell participates with a number of insurance companies.
There is no charge for the initial examination or for our giving a second opinion. Even if you are only considering orthodontic treatment we welcome you to our office to discuss the possibilities.
What can I expect at the first visit?
At your first appointment, the doctor will perform a preliminary examination from which he will be able to tell you:
- If orthodontic treatment is necessary
- The best time to start treatment
- How long treatment should take
- What treatment will involve
- Treatment costs
If you are ready for treatment, and if you desire, we will proceed with the standard diagnostic records including x-rays and molds of the teeth. We will also take time to acquaint you with our office. If diagnostic records are taken, a treatment conference will be scheduled to review this information in detail.
How long will treatment take?
Treatment time varies from one individual to another depending on the severity of the problem. Generally speaking treatment time with orthodontic appliances averages one and a half to two years.
Length of treatment is also affected by the cooperation of the patient and his/her willingness to actively participate in treatment, such as wearing rubber bands.
How frequent are appointments?
Following the initial placement of braces, it is usually necessary to return to the office every 4-6 weeks. We share your concern about missing work or school and schedule appointments so that each patient receives a fair proportion of late afternoon and evening appointments if so desired. We try to minimize the number of mid-morning appointments that are necessary and school excuses are provided when requested. Your time and convenience are important to us.
Will I spend a lot of time in the waiting room?
Dr. Newell believes that your time is as important as his time. Our office schedules in a manner that almost always has the patient seated in the treatment area by their scheduled appointment time. Exceptions are minimal and will rarely exceed 5 minutes.
Emergency Care
While emergencies with orthodontic care are quite infrequent, occasionally an uncomfortable situation may arise outside of normal office hours. An example of this would be an irritating wire or brace. Dr. Newell provides all of his patients his home phone number so he can be quickly reached if necessary.