Utilizing the newest technologies, we now anticipate total treatment times averaging between 6 months and less than two years from start to finish. Naturally, more demanding cases may take longer, and simpler cases can finish sooner.

Every patient’s insurance plan is different. However, we will do everything possible to help our patients receive due benefits from their association or insurance carrier. We are happy to help verify your benefits prior to the Initial Visit, and assist you so that you may file and be reimbursed for any coverage that you have. We are happy to provide parents/patients with the appropriate documentation and properly coded forms, in order to maximize your insurance benefits. These forms are also helpful in maximizing flexible spending benefits.The details will be covered by one of our experts at your Initial Visit/Consultation appointment.

Our patients report that their teeth are sore for the first three days. Simple over-the-counter pain medication is usually all that is required. In addition, we provide soft wax and silicone to place on any rough areas of your braces to minimize mouth irritations. Warm, salty water is also an excellent home remedy for oral discomfort, which is recommended to be done throughout the course of treatment.

The average interval is 6-12 weeks between visits, depending on the type of treatment. At the beginning of treatment, some patients may need to be seen more frequently, while others may have longer intervals (10-12 weeks) between appointments. Occasionally, the closer to the end of treatment that a patient is, the more frequent the visits tend to be.

Once the patient is seated, one of our highly trained Certified Orthodontic Assistants reviews the patient’s electronic chart to determine what is planned for the day’s appointment. Dr. Nick evaluates the patient in the chair, then the necessary procedures are performed. Upon completion of the appointment, Dr. Nick carefully checks and reviews the work performed, and plans the next appointment. All questions are answered, and comfort is assured prior to the patient leaving. Most visits end with a review of the day’s work with the accompanying parent.

For patients with braces, most visits are 20-30 minutes in length. Appointments which require the application of any braces may take longer, whether it is the initial visit or during treatment. Most of these brace application visits are performed during the morning hours or early afternoon, as they tend to take longer and require more direct contact between doctor and patient. The Initial Banding (the day braces are first placed) usually takes 90 minutes. For patients with Invisalign or Invisalign Teen, most visits are 5-10 minutes long. Appointments which require the application of attachments generally take abit longer: 40-50 minutes for the initial attachment application/aligner delivery appointment, 20-30 minutes for progress attachment application/aligner delivery.

All of our patients enter a one year retention program following completion of fixed orthodontic treatment or Invisalign treatment. Retainers are delivered at the end of treatment, final records are taken and reviewed, and periodic follow up visits are scheduled to assure that the beautiful result achieved will last for a lifetime.

We place all patients who are not ready for treatment into our “Kids Club.” It is critical that these patients are seen in our office periodically, in order to take careful measurements of their dental and skeletal development, and to monitor the bite. It is our goal to start any patient treatment only when it is the most opportune time.

Many colors! We have collected orthodontic ties with every color of the rainbow, which we make available to our patients. Even those patients with Damon brackets, which do not require ties to hold the wires in place, are given the choice of colors at early stages of their treatment. Patients with clear braces can place clear ties on their braces or can have colors as well. We want our patients to enjoy their treatment with us, and we do what we can to make it fun.

We request our patients to call us as soon as possible if a change in schedules arises. If the office is closed, you may leave a message to cancel your appointment on our office voicemail. You should then call back to reschedule, or request that our office team members call you at your convenience. If appointments are cancelled with adequate notice, patients requesting sooner visits can often be accommodated. The sooner an appointment is rescheduled, the sooner a new appointment can be made, which will keep treatment progressing at the rate necessary for a speedy finish. One of the most important causes of extended treatment time is missed appointments. Delaying rescheduling appointments delays the progress even further. So if an appointment must be cancelled, please call to cancel and reschedule as soon as possible.

If an orthodontic emergency arises (ex. something cutting or preventing closure of the mouth), please call our office at (508) 539-0355. If it is a true orthodontic emergency requiring immediate assistance, instructions for contacting Dr. Nick will be provided. Someone will return your call as soon as possible. Obviously, if an emergency is of a life threatening nature, please call 911, or immediately visit the nearest emergency room.

Call us at (508) 286-6800 to schedule an inital evaluation/New Patient appointment. When your appointment is made, we will send you a patient health information package (or you can fill one out securely on our web site), which we request that you fill out prior to your visit. When you come to the first appointment, you will be met by our treatment coordinator, who will brief you about the visit. Then complimentary diagnostic records (digital 3D X-Rays and photos) will be taken to evaluate the patient’s case. The doctor will then examine you (or your child) and determine the best course of treatment.