Ortho (straight) dontics (teeth) refers to alignment of teeth and / or correction of dentofacial deformity.

Areas of Orthodontistry
In simple terms, there are three main areas of orthodontic management -

Interceptive
Performed during developmental years (7-12yrs of age) aimed at early detection and management of conditions that may in the longer term minimize the need for more complicated treatment requirements. This may include the use of removable appliances (plates), early removal of deciduous (baby teeth) and / or managing space within the dental arch until such time that all permanent (adult) teeth erupt.

Comprehensive
Primarily refers to the use of fixed appliances (braces) to help detail and coordinate arch form. This phase of treatment typically follows on from interceptive therapy and would usually be performed once all permanent teeth have erupted (12+yrs). In some cases, extraction of adult teeth may be indicated to help satisfy aesthetic and occlusal (bite) requirements, not to mention long-term stability of the final result.

Surgical Correction
Ortho (straight) gnathic (jaw) surgery is typically reserved for severe dentofacial deformity in adults (growth complete). It usually consists of a pre-surgical orthodontic phase to align teeth in their respective jaws, surgical phase where the jaws are surgically repositioned and plated, and then a post-surgical orthodontic phase to detail and finalise the occlusion. Without such an approach, braces alone would result in a compromised result both aesthetically and functionally with poor long-term stability.

Orthodontic Treatment
At Dental Sense, orthodontic treatment is restricted to Interceptive and Comprehensive management only. To facilitate treatment planning, our front office coordinators will arrange an appointment for collection of specific diagnostic aids, which in turn will be assessed and formulated into a specific treatment plan addressing your primary concern. Depending on case complexity, management will be provided in house or specialist referral will be arranged.

Do you provide a warranty?
We provide a 3-year warranty against mechanical failure for all treatment provided, assuming patients comply with treatment plans in their entirety, with work being replaced at health fund rebate or equivalent.