iSmiles Irvine Orthodontist Dr. O reveals the critical questions to ask at your orthodontic consultation.
In this edition of Friday Focus, Dr. O from iSmiles Orthodontics, your Irvine Orthodontist, discusses the critical questions you should prepare and have answered by your orthodontist prior to orthodontic treatment.
iSmiles Orthodontics fields a lot of questions, online and through our YouTube Channel, about orthodontic treatments and recommendations. And one of the most frequently asked questions is about extractions.
“Do I really need to have four teeth pulled, or have any extractions done for my orthodontic treatment?”
If your orthodontist presents a treatment plan that includes extractions, then you should ask this alternative question: “Is there another way that the treatment can be done?”
In the end it is up to you whether you choose the extraction route or not. Personally, I follow a “Wide Smiles with No Extractions” philosophy that I share in many of my videos. Sometimes an orthodontist will tell you an extraction is the only path to achieving a treatment plan’s goal and sometimes there is another way to achieve the same goal without losing a tooth. Always ask the right questions to determine what’s right for you.
It’s also important to get to know your doctor. Most iSmiles patients have looked at our website and have checked out our reviews (on sites like Yelp, our own website and social media pages). You can get a good sense whether these reviews are actually genuine or not.
To get the most out of your orthodontic consultation and treatment plan, follow these steps:
- Decide what your goals are.
- Know what you want in terms of a beautiful smile.
- Come in with your list of questions.
- Be able to articulate what you want your orthodontist to achieve. Can then match your goals to what they are able to deliver?
- Do some research on your doctor.
When you come prepared with the right questions, you will feel comfortable with the office you are visiting.
