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New Patient Information

Congratulations on making a New Patient appointment at our clinic.

We look forward to meeting you!

This information has been prepared to explain what to expect during your first, and any subsequent visits to our Orthodontic Practice. Be assured, you will receive further information as, and when appropriate to help you understand Orthodontic treatment and the way our practice operates.

KT Orthodontics prides itself on providing quality Orthodontic treatment in a relaxed and comfortable environment. We love what we do and are excited by the potential to help you and your children enjoy their smiles.

When you arrive at our premises at 90 Salisbury Road you will be greeted by our wonderful team. You will be asked to complete a Patient Information, Responsible Party Information and Health forms. Please ensure we are made aware of any medical conditions. Further information may be requested.

Appointment scheduling

First Appointment

The first appointment should be considered a primary consultation. The purpose of this appointment is to determine if there is an Orthodontic problem. At this initial visit, a visual examination will be carried out and an x-ray taken. This is important as it will provide a broad view of current dental development. A fee of $80 for a child and $100 for an adult is payable at the first appointment.

For young people around 12 years and older, sometimes at this appointment, particularly if you are from out of town, it is appropriate to take a set of ‘records’, including another type of x-ray of the head, an intra oral scan of the teeth and photographs of the face and teeth.

Records Appointment

If the records, as described above, can’t be done at the first appointment, this follow-up appointment is required to prepare the set of ‘records’. These are specific to the individual and are essential for the Orthodontist to diagnose problems and finalise or confirm treatment options. These records may also be used as a reference to gauge growth. 

Treatment Consultation

This pre treatment consultation is used to communicate the diagnosis, treatment options available, method of treatment, time and costs involved, risks and limitations of treatment and parent/patient responsibilities. You will receive all this information in a treatment letter which will be given to you at the completion of this appointment. You will have an opportunity to ask any questions. There will be a fee payable prior to this final consultation.  

These initial appointments are charged separately from the actual treatment fee and are payable prior to the commencement of active treatment.

Written consent will be obtained prior to the commencement of any treatment.

If it is too early for treatment, the patient would be placed in a continuing care or recall program. Your child would be reviewed periodically at a cost of $30 per visit until they are ready to commence treatment.

Please note we are very proud at running to time in our clinic and we value your time. Therefore, we are grateful for promptness to appointments. Please contact us soon as possible if you are unable to make an appointment.

Diagnosis and Treatment Planning

Before treatment can begin, the Orthodontist must determine the specific nature of the problem and develop a treatment plan appropriate for each individual. Please feel free to ask questions at any stage if you are not clear on any aspect of the problem or treatment.

In some cases, the removal of teeth is recommended. This is a highly specialized judgement made on an individual case analysis and is only recommended when it improves the prospect of successful treatment. In some instances, it is much better to delay this decision until after a patient’s response to treatment has been established. This gives us more information on which to base such an important decision.

The length of treatment depends on the severity of the problem, the patient’s growth and most importantly, on the level of cooperation of the patient. More severe problems take longer and require more cooperation. Poor cooperation or unfavourable growth may lengthen treatment time and affect the quality of the treatment result.

Should treatment proceed, a number of appointments are required throughout the treatment period, generally at 6-10 week intervals. We ask that every effort be made to keep appointments as rescheduling can be very difficult. Appointment times are often made during school hours. If appointments cannot be kept please notify the office as early as possible. If necessary, emergency procedures can be attended to by phoning the office for an appointment.

Patient Responsibilities

Successful orthodontic treatment is a team effort between you and us. Excellent patient cooperation is essential and normally means:

  • Keeping all appointments as scheduled.
  • Maintaining excellent oral hygiene – this includes brushing and flossing (if possible) at least twice a day.
  • Wearing all appliances, aligners, elastics, retainers, etc as instructed.
  • Avoiding activities and foods that could damage or dislodge the appliance. You will be given this information on the day the braces are placed.
  • Reporting all problems or broken appliances as instructed.
  • Attending your General Dentist or School Dental Therapist regularly during treatment.

Treatment may have to be discontinued if patient cooperation is not adequate. If treatment is discontinued prior to its completion there may be adverse effects for the patient. 

Parental Attendance

It is our normal procedure to request the presence of parents (if possible) at the following times:

The first appointment, the pre treatment consultation, for the instructions at the end of the appointment when the aligners are fitted or braces are placed and when retention is discussed. 

These appointments are the only times when it is essential for parent to accompany their children. However, you are more than welcome to come to the practice as we have a very relaxing reception area with a fantastic range of magazines! We do not normally encourage parents to come upstairs into the clinic (except with very young or anxious patients) as we find that better cooperation is gained if the patients feel that they are responsible enough to see to the care and progress of their own Orthodontic treatment. 

However, parents should feel free to attend anytime for a progress report or to discuss any problem which may have arisen. Should parents wish to discuss their child’s treatment, please inform one of the Team on arrival. Occasionally, it is necessary for us to ask a parent/caregiver to attend and discuss treatment progress.

We hope this provides you with an idea of what you may expect at your initial visits to our practice. We enjoy our work and our practice is a nice place to visit!

We look forward to meeting you!

The Team at KT Orthodontics