Thank you for reading my blog! This is a new beginning for me. By creating this blog I want to help orthodontic patients to get the most benefit out of their treatment. Orthodontics is a journey, a journey of many steps that can last several years and beyond. From the initial consultation and records, to placement of the appliances, to preserving the result with retainers, it could be a life long process. I want to make it easier by sharing the things I wish all orthodontic patients knew.
I love being an orthodontist. This is what I always wanted to be. I like the challenge of solving a malocclusion puzzle and giving patients a smile they always wanted. There is nothing more rewarding than the feeling of reticent pride I experience when I watch parents marvel at how straight little Johnny’s teeth look only after a few months of braces, or when a severe underbite transforms into a normal overbite for the first time in a patient’s life.
But what I find really disenchanting is when I meet patients who are much less enthusiastic about their own treatment than I am. With every treatment I strive to achieve the most ideal outcome. Not “acceptable,” not “just good enough,” but nothing less than perfect. I promise that I will use everything I learned from my training and my experience, along with what I learn from reviewing recent literature and continuing education courses to give the patient the best smile and function (let’s not forget about the proper bite) possible. But there are a few things that I expect the patient to do as well, such as coming to appointments, following instructions, and taking care of their teeth.
Even with perfect compliance, though, there could be some bumps on your orthodontic journey. Braces can cause discomfort, irritation to the mouth, and sometimes teeth just don’t move as expected. Original treatment plan may have to be modified, or, if side effects develop, treatment may need to be stopped. Your orthodontist will guide you on this path.
Orthodontic treatment is a team effort, it involves the orthodontist, the general dentist, and the patient. I can spend long hours contemplating how to make the treatment most efficient, how to integrate new techniques, and how to solve the most complex of malocclusions, but without patient’s cooperation very little can be achieved.
So if you are an orthodontic patient, parent of an orthodontic patient, or considering becoming one, please, help your orthodontist to help you to get the most out of your treatment. Please work with us. There is nothing more that we want than to give you a beautiful smile. Orthodontics is a science (and perhaps a touch of art), but it is not magic.