Information for new patients
Before considering the decision about orthodontic consultation, I encourage you to read the information in the "Orthodontics" "Orthodontic Treatment" "Occlusion" "Aesthetics" and "Frequently Asked Questions" tabs.
If, for aesthetic reasons ("Aesthetics" tab) or occlusive ("Occlusion" tab) you decide to have an orthodontic consultation or have been referred to it by your attending physician, please contact us by phone or SMS at the phone numbers in the "Contact" tab . Due to ongoing procedures or during breaks in the burgery (weekends, holidays, training courses, etc.) it is sometimes difficult to contact by phone. In this case, please send an SMS. I will call you back as soon as possible, usually the same or the next day (possibly after the end of the vacation or course, which may slightly increase the waiting time for my response). Other forms of contact, e.g. recording on voicemail or contact via social media and instant messaging, are currently not reliable - so please do not use them.
Depending on the situation, the date of the first appointment may be postponed, as priority is given to current patients in order to ensure continuation of the treatment process. The date of the first appointment is also affected by:
- the number of patients who are currently being treated,
- Your availability in relation to the days of the week and the possible hours of the appointment (due to my patients' work and school classes, the most distant dates are in the afternoon and evening hours)
- breaks in professional activity (public holidays, holidays, training courses).
We are constantly working on work organization so that the waiting period for the first appointment is as short as possible.
The first appointment is a consultation. It serves to familiarize with the patient's needs and provide general information about the current situation in the occlusion system. During the visit an interview is carried out, a general orthodontic examination, all the possible information and answers to the patient's questions are provided at this stage. After the appointment, the patient can decide whether they are interested in starting a diagnostic procedure to prepare a treatment plan.
The next 2-3 appointments are detailed orthodontic and occlusive diagnostics. On the first of these appointments, special digital photos, impressions for digital diagnostic models, intercuspal position (ICP) are taken and the patient is referred to the necessary x-rays. During the second appointment the results of orthodontic analyzes are presented as well as a treatment plan and answers to all the patient's specific questions related to the planned treatment and its conditions are provided. After this appointment, the patient has the necessary information to make a decision about whether or not to opt for orthodontic treatment. In cases where an occlusive problem is identified, one more diagnostic appointment is needed to analyze in detail the condition of the temporomandibular joints and the muscles associated with chewing (in some cases, orthodontic treatment should be preceded by occlusive splint therapy, and in others both types of treatment may be started simultaneously). Other consultations with specialists prior to commencing orthodontic activities (physiotherapist, ENT specialist, speech therapist, general dentist, maxillary surgeon) may also be indicated.
After the patient makes a decision about treatment (confirmed by signing the appropriate consent), orthodontic correction can be started according to the prepared plan.
In addition to the carefully prepared treatment plan, the most important factors to achieve final success are patient's motivation and cooperation (strict compliance with medical recommendations). Without this element, the treatment may not bring the expected effect or be a compromise treatment, i.e. achieving only some of the assumed goals of the treatment.
Depending on the development period and treatment plan, treatment is carried out by means of different types of equipment. In my opinion, a very important factor deciding whether to start a treatment is not only the existence of a reason and an appropriate period of physical development of the body (including the masticatory organ and the stage of development of the dentition) but also the stage of the child's psycho-emotional development. At the age of primary and mixed dentition, removable braces are used, which have one common disadvantage. They require close, consistent (daily wearing of the device for many hours) cooperation of a little patient for several years, and not every initial enthusiasm will stand the test of time. You know your children best and you can assess the chances of systematic cooperation. Features of removable braces should be the least possible nuisance in wearing, creating conditions for proper development and correcting the underlying cause of treatment (e.g. Frankel braces, face former and others). The braces are adapted to the specific needs and development phase of the teeth, so it is possible that you will need to change the type of device during treatment. Removable braces usually do not require as frequent visits as fixed braces. Most often they are in the range of 2-6 months.
At the stage of the permanent dentition (adolescents and adults), permanent braces are used. Some of their variants (e.g. D-Gainer) can be used even in the mixed tooth phase. Fixed appliances are the orthodontist's basic tool, but their use can be supplemented with other types of braces (e.g. occlusal splints, face former). Due to the biomechanics of action (the way they affect jaw bones), the devices can be divided into different groups. I have adopted the following hierarchy of features validity for each treatment I perform
- Safety of teeth, jaw bones, temporomandibular joints and muscles (low forces system)
- Obtaining the intended treatment goal (a wide range of appliances possibilities)
- Duration of treatment (low friction between clasps and wires)
Due to the above criteria, I conduct treatment with Damon braces (meeting these requirements and considered one of the best in the world). I also have experience working with other types of braces which allowed me to make an informed choice.
One more important remark. In orthodontics, many factors affect the duration of treatment: type and severity of the defect, accurate diagnosis of the system and planning of the treatment (diagnostics), applied biomechanics of treatment (type of braces and treatment techniques), individual biological response of the body (general health, age), cooperation and patient's motivation (strict adherence to medical recommendations, not skipping check-up appointments and regular hygiene). Therefore, there is no strictly defined duration of treatment in orthodontics. The time brackets given are only based on the physician's experience and are predictive (forecast). Orthodontics (like all medicine) is not an exact science and even the use of the latest treatment devices and techniques does not guarantee achieving all the planned treatment goals.
Practical information related to treatment can be found in the tab "Information for current patients" and "Investment in a beautiful smile" and more important general information in the "Frequently asked questions" tab.