Upon calling our office for the first time, you will most likely speak with our treatment coordinator, Shannon. She’s super sweet and will be happy to answer any questions or concerns that you might have about the orthodontic process and tell you a bit about our office. She’ll also need to collect some basic information for both the patient and the responsible party to get you setup on our system. Rest assured that all your information is safe with us.

Your initial exam is your first visit to our office and our chance to get acquainted. This appointment usually takes 30-45 minutes. Before you come in, we’ll e-mail you a brief form that allows us to understand a bit more about your concerns and healthy history. Please fill it out before you come in, or feel free to arrive 15 minutes prior to your appointment if you prefer to fill it out while you are here.

Dr. Cope is an world renowned authority in dental and facial aesthetics and occlusal function. As a specialist in Orthodontics, he will perform an extensive exam to carefully evaluate:

• Facial dimensions and proportions
• Jaw position and interrelationships (temporomandibular joint examination)
• Tooth position, shape, and alignment
• Gum status (health, levels, and thickness)
• Occlusion (bite) and occlusal function

After the exam, he will spend time talking with you to determine your needs and concerns and give you tentative treatment options based on his expert opinion; including the likely appliances that would be used, an estimate of the treatment fee and the approximate treatment duration. If you are ready for treatment, an appointment will be scheduled to acquire diagnostic records. Sometimes we can do it all on the same appointment depending on our schedule. If you know in advance that you are ready to get started, let us know so we can combine both appointments (initial exam and diagnostic records) into one.

The diagnostic records appointment is used to acquire diagnostic information about your teeth and jaws. This appointment usually lasts about 50-60 minutes. Along with the information gathered at your initial exam appointment, we will use your diagnostic orthodontic records to precisely measure, calculate and diagnose your case. Based on the diagnosis, a definitive treatment plan will be formulated to address your orthodontic problems. The information acquired at the diagnostic records appointment includes:

• Intraoral Photographs – Used to evaluate the color, shape, and size of your teeth and gum tissue. This information helps us in determining how to position the teeth so that your dental esthetics and function are as ideal as possible.

• Extraoral Photos – Used to look at facial balance and symmetry. This information allows us to evaluate the overall height and width of different components of your face and to position your teeth in a way that will enhance your facial aesthetics.

• Cone Beam Computed Tomographic Xray (CBCT) – While most orthodontists use regular x-rays, we use a cutting edge three-dimensional x-ray that allows accurate visualization and measurement of the teeth, jaws, temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and facial proportions. These measurements allow us to establish facial growth patterns, how the upper and lower teeth are positioned relative to each other, the face, and the jaws. We can also establish how the jaws relate to the face and to each other.

• Full Mouth 3D Scan – 3D Scanners are the latest technology in orthodontics and only a minority of orthodontists worldwide have this available in their offices. It substitutes the need for gaggy and uncomfortable teeth impressions and allows us to look at how the teeth fit together when the jaw joints fit correctly in the sockets, giving us a better perspective on exactly how the teeth fit together in the mouth, as well as how they function during functional movements in all directions.

At the consultation appointment, we will explain the diagnostic findings and recommend an ideal treatment plan. We will also explain the entire treatment process so that you know what to expect. At this time, we will give you an exact treatment fee, an estimated treatment length, and discuss any concerns or questions you might have. This is the last appointment before you get your braces on.