First Visit

Each member of our staff is highly trained with years of experience in the orthodontic field. Every time you walk through our doors, you will be greeted with warm smiles and gracious courtesy. Our top priority is to provide you with the highest quality of orthodontic care possible in a friendly, comfortable environment. Our office aims at making the treatment process easy and convenient and we try very hard to get to know each of our patients personally.

Complimentary Initial Consultation

It would be our pleasure to see you for a complimentary consultation. During this visit we will help you get acquainted with our office and you will meet with Dr. Bassham. During your initial consultation we will discuss any orthodontic problems that Dr. Bassham finds during your examination, and we will discuss treatment options with you. Financial and insurance details will also be discussed. It is our goal that you leave this appointment feeling knowledgeable, comfortable and confident about your upcoming orthodontic experience.

Patient Questionnaire

Your first visit to our office is a very simple process. We will ask you to fill out a few papers to gather more information about your health and past dental experiences. This helps us to get to know you better. This should not take long and will provide us with the information we need to establish you as one of our patients. We will be happy to assist you in completing it.

Clinical Exam

We will take a few pictures of your face and teeth to evaluate your bite. We may also take an x-ray. An x-ray is just like having a picture made but allows Dr. Bassham to see developing teeth that have not erupted. Dr. Bassham will look at your teeth with a mirror and simply discuss the way that your teeth and jaws are aligned and make any treatment recommendations at that time. Some patients are asked to wait due to the stage of development and others are recommended to start treatment right away.

Financial Consultation

Our office will gladly assist in checking on your insurance coverage. Please bring your insurance card to your visit so that we can contact your company and get your benefits available for treatment. We make insurance filing a breeze by filing the insurance for you during your treatment time. If you do not have insurance coverage, we will work with you to develop a financial plan to fit your budget.

If treatment is recommended, a member of our office staff will meet with you to discuss treatment fees and insurance coverage. A financial workup will be provided with several payment options available.

Records

During a records appointment, we thoroughly take additional photographs and x-rays to get more information and complete a detailed analysis of your dental condition and skeletal structure. With this information, a complete and comprehensive orthodontic treatment plan can be formulated.

Diagnostic records consist of :

We use the digital x-rays that provide the lowest possible exposure to radiation with minimal exposure. We also provide a lead apron to further minimize exposure to other parts of the body.

Lateral cephalogram: This x-ray shows the details of the skeletal structure. By taking measurements of different areas, we can determine the position of the jaws and teeth. This aids in determining the appropriate orthodontic treatment plan that will result in the most attractive and functional facial harmony.

Panorex: An x-ray that shows the teeth, roots, and jaws.

Facial Photographs

Intraoral Photographs

Impressions of the teeth: Impression material is placed into a tray and held on the teeth for a short period of time. Then once removed a plaster model of the teeth can be fabricated.

Separators

A separator is a tiny blue rubber band that is flossed between the back teeth to make space for the rings to fit around the back teeth. Separators are usually in place from 7 to 14 days prior to having your braces placed.