In this edition of Friday Focus, Dr. O of E&S Orthodontics, your Metro Phoenix Orthodontist, discusses the questions you should prepare and ask any orthodontist prior to treatment.
We get a lot of questions, from all over the world, about orthodontic treatments that are fielded to me online or through our YouTube Channel.
One of the most common questions involves extractions. “Do I really need to have four teeth pulled or have any extractions done for my orthodontic treatment?”
If your orthodontist is recommending extractions, here’s the alternative question you should ask:
“Are there any other possibilities or other ways that the treatment can be done?”
It’s really whether you choose to go down the extraction route or not. I have my own personal beliefs on extractions that I share in many of my videos. Sometimes you are compelled to follow extraction recommendations and sometimes there might be another way to achieve the same goal without losing a tooth. But you have to ask the right questions to determine what is right for you.
The other thing I highly encourage you to do is research the doctor you are going to get your orthodontic treatment with. A lot of people who come into our office have already read our reviews (on Yelp, our website and/or social media pages) before they scheduled their initial consultation. You can get a good sense of whether these reviews are actually genuine or not once you visit the office.
Before you go to your orthodontic consultation, please be sure to be prepared. My suggestions are to:
- Decide what your immediate and long-term goals are, i.e., no extractions, end results, etc.
- Be clear as to what a beautiful smile means to you.
- Have a list of questions prepared and written down.
- Be able to articulate exactly and fully what you want your orthodontist to achieve. This will help you determine whether they can deliver on your goals.
- Do some research on your doctor and the office ahead of time.
If you come prepared and get all of your questions answered, you will feel comfortable making an informed decision when choosing orthodontic care.
