5 Ways to Prepare for Your First Orthodontist Visit

If you have teeth that are crooked, gapped, or overcrowded along with a misaligned bite (malocclusion), it’s time to undergo orthodontic treatment to protect your oral health. 

Although orthodontic treatments, such as clear aligners and braces, are often known for their cosmetic benefits, having straight teeth and an aligned jaw protects you from tooth decay, gum disease, and jaw pain. 

If you’ve decided to take control of your oral health through orthodontic treatment, but you’ve never been to the orthodontist before, you may wonder what to expect or if there’s anything you can do to prepare.

At Hanachi Orthodontics in Mooresville, North Carolina, Farid Hanachi, DDS, PA, leads our team in offering expert-level and individualized orthodontic care. In this month’s blog, we explore what an initial orthodontic appointment includes and how you can prepare. 

What to expect from your first orthodontic appointment

Like any initial visit to a medical office, your first orthodontic appointment typically involves a lot of paperwork, a review of your health history, imaging tests, and goal setting. 

When you first arrive, our friendly staff greets you and provides the paperwork needed to gather information on your general and dental health history, your orthodontic concerns, and your treatment preferences. All of this information is vital to creating a treatment plan that works well for you. 

Next, our team takes X-ray images and performs a manual exam to spot any glaring oral health issues and assess what exactly needs to be treated with orthodontics. 

If our team spots any signs of tooth decay or gum disease, we require those issues to be addressed before undergoing treatment. We may also recommend having some teeth pulled to make your treatment more effective.

To conclude your visit, we create a treatment plan and timeline based on our findings and your treatment option choice, whether braces or clear aligners. 

How to prepare for your first orthodontic appointment

Although there isn’t a lot you need to do in preparation for an orthodontic consultation, doing these five things ensures a productive first visit:

1. Provide us with your dental records 
2. Bring your health history records, including current medications
3. Have dental insurance information with you
4. Give us a list of all your dental providers
5. Prepare any questions or concerns you have about orthodontic treatment 

This appointment is not only a chance for us to determine how to cater orthodontic treatments to suit you, but also an opportunity for you to get to know our team, express concerns, and set goals so you can feel comfortable with your treatment plan. 

To schedule your initial orthodontic consultation with our Hanachi Orthodontics team, simply call our office or use our online booking tool today.