What things should you ask an Orthodontist on your initial consult?

[jacqui in mo]

I have my own list of questions:

Does she need tooth extractions?
Does she need palatal expander?
How long will she need braces?
How will you compensate for her missing adult tooth (congenitally missing).
How much will all this cost?:tongue_smilie:
What is your payment plan & do you charge interest?

Am I missing any questions I should be asking?

Thanks
Jacqui

[In The Great White North]

When would she start treatment?
Are there any extra charges (ie. lost retainer)?

If he says she needs tooth extractions (of permanent teeth), I would ask what could be done to avoid that. (Although they may have been "perfect" with extractions, the end result without extractions was well within my expectations.)

[Jen3boys]

I'd ask if the total charge includes ALL visits needed, or just a basic schedule of visits, and any more are extra.

[Heather in the Kootenays]

Do the charges include emergancy visits for broken wires, replacement retainers etc.

How flexible are their office hours? Weekends, evenings??

Is there a discount for paying in advance?

Is there a discounts for siblings/parents?

[pianoplayer]

How should my child take care of his/her teeth while in orthodontics? (Kids who don't take care of their teeth can have major spots when their braces come off, not to mention a handfull of cavities!)

Can you describe to me the exact nature of my child's problem? (We did this to be sure that we were dealing with a legitimate orthodontic need and not merely a quest for the "perfect smile.")

Make sure that you can communicate well with your orthodontist and preferably his staff, too! You will be seeing a lot of them over the next several years, and it's nice to know that, as questions come up, you have clear lines of communication.

If you have a health savings account that will reimburse you for orthodontics, make sure you know ahead of time what documentation you need for submitting your claims.

Best of luck!

[Sue in St Pete]

There are 3 things that I appreciate about my orthodontist:
(1) She is petite and has small hands. Ds has a small mouth.
(2) The entire office has fun. It's fun to go there. Not dreary and serious.
(3) She has an incentive plan for being on time, good brushing, no broken appliances, etc. It doesn't motivate ds as much as I'd like, but it does motivate him some.