There are numerous treatment options and variables including the type of treatment and its duration. Following your initial assessment, we will provide you with an accurate quote for your recommended treatment as well as any other treatment options. This quote will include the orthodontic appliance(s), all associated appointments and adjustments, as well as retainers upon completion of your orthodontic journey. This information and more will be given to you at your consultation.
Your orthodontic treatment may very well be covered, in part, by your private health insurance. Your consultation is billed under item number 014, and orthodontic treatment may be billed under an item number that begins with an 8.
At your initial consultation, we will provide you with all the necessary information to take to your insurance provider to learn whether you are covered and how much they will cover. We are well-versed in the claiming process and will help you every step of the way.
Most dental treatment, beside those few items recognised under the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, is not covered by Medicare, and orthodontics is, unfortunately, no exception.
We most certainly do! Any treatment cost over $500 can be placed on an interest-free payment plan. For more information, visit Payment Plans.
In some cases, Dr David Austin may recommend that one or more teeth be removed (“extracted”) to create space to straighten your teeth or correct a malocclusion. This is something that will be assessed and recommended during the consultation and planning phase of treatment.
Often, you will be provided with more than one options for treatment, each explained in terms of what the treatment option can achieve and any potential limitations it may have. Ultimately, your treatment will be something you decide to undertake, with your orthodontist. We will always ensure you understand your plan and consent to the recommended course of treatment.
We recommend that you have your child assessed by a specialist orthodontist anywhere between the ages of 7 to 10 years. This allows us to review “mixed dentition”, which means any adult teeth that are present in the mouth, as well as those that are coming in (“erupting”), and the remaining baby teeth. For more information, see Children’s Orthodontics.
No one is “too old” for orthodontic treatment. Occasionally, there may be biological or health-related factors that affect the suitability of treatment, but age has never been one of them.
In some cases, Dr David Austin may recommend a combined orthodontic and surgical approach for your treatment. This is something that will be assessed and recommended during the consultation and planning phase of treatment. There are several surgical options to address orthodontic malocclusions. These include the placement of an expander after surgical treatment to separate and open the upper palate, jaw correction surgery for one jaw or jaw correction surgery for both the upper and lower jaws. For more information, please visit Orthodontic Surgery.
Often, you will be provided with more than one options for treatment, each explained in terms of what the treatment option can achieve and any potential limitations it may have. Ultimately, your treatment will be something you decide to undertake, with your orthodontist. We will always ensure you understand your plan and consent to the recommended course of treatment.
While the orthodontic appliances are safe for use by all, pregnancy limits our use of X-rays. As orthodontic treatment involves the movement of the teeth and their roots, we like to keep an eye on the health of the tissue and bone around them. This can only be adequately assessed using X-rays.
However, we recommend you come in for your consultation and allow us to discuss your options for treatment.
An average course of orthodontic treatment will take 12-18 months. However, some minor cases may take a lot less time, and others may take a few months longer. To determine how long it might take to address your orthodontic concern, contact us today to book an orthodontic assessment with Dr David Austin.
As all orthodontic treatment involves something new in the mouth (for example, braces attached to the teeth, Invisalign aligners against the teeth or their attachments placed on the teeth), it means there will be a change in your oral hygiene practice. With something new to keep clean, you need to ensure you are also sufficiently cleaning your teeth and mouth around this device. If poor oral habits develop during orthodontic treatment, you run the risk of staining, tooth decay, gingivitis and gum disease.
However, at the commencement of your treatment and throughout, our team will provide you with advice and tools to maintain good oral hygiene. You will also be encouraged to continue seeing your general dentist for routine checks and dental cleans.
At the commencement of your treatment and throughout, our team will provide you with advice and tools to maintain good oral hygiene. You will also be encouraged to continue seeing your general dentist for routine checks and cleans.
If the necessary steps are not adequately followed and your teeth or orthodontic device are not kept clean, your oral and dental health may decline, and this may cause bad breath, staining, tooth decay, gingivitis and gum disease.
As your mouth adjusts to the braces, Invisalign or other orthodontic device, there may be areas that rub against your lips, cheeks or tongue, causing temporary irritation. Orthodontic wax is a safe substance which you can mould and place onto any part of the device to cover the area and let your soft tissue heal.
Orthodontic wax will be provided to you at the start of your treatment and as needed throughout.
Yes, an electric toothbrush will be more effective in removing the plaque layer (soft bacteria) from your teeth and orthodontic appliances. An electric toothbrush works in a vibrating and oscillating motion at a high speed. This technique can be difficult to manipulate with a manual toothbrush.
However, with the right technique, a manual toothbrush can also be very effective. Your general dentist or hygienist will demonstrate the correct techniques for both options and advise which is best for you and inform you of any improvement needed.
We strongly recommend that you continue to see your general dentist throughout your orthodontic treatment, as often as your dentist recommends. Our clinical team may alert you to any dental and oral health concerns they notice, but their focus will be on your orthodontic treatment, while your general dentist will focus on and maintain the health of your teeth and mouth.
As all orthodontic treatment involves an orthodontic device in the mouth, it is not recommended that you whiten your teeth during treatment as this device will very likely get in the way and prevent the best results. However, you are welcome to chat to your general dental practitioner about this, for further clarification and advice.
You will find arguments for and against wisdom teeth (your “third molars”) moving the other teeth in your mouth. While the development of these teeth may be detrimental to the teeth nearby (in the case of insufficient room or misalignment of the wisdom teeth), it is unlikely that they will move your teeth out of alignment. This takes a lot of time and force. For more information, see Wisdom Teeth.
Please contact us with any questions we have not answered here. We are always happy to help!
Orthodontics Australia defines orthodontists as “dental specialists who are trained in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. They provide a wide range of treatment options to straighten crooked teeth, fix bad bites and align the jaws correctly.”
While some general dentists have completed courses in aspects of orthodontic treatment, orthodontists are AHPRA-registered specialists, having completed the necessary tertiary studies beyond those they completed for general dentistry. While you might call your general dentist a “Jack of all trades”, an orthodontist is a specialist in their field, diagnosing and treating alignment issues of the teeth and jaw. For more information, see When to see an orthodontist, rather than a dentist?
Although your general dentist or other dental or medical practitioner may refer you to Dr David Austin, it is not a requirement. We will happily and most often see patients who have, themselves, chosen to make the appointment. Should you dentist or doctor wish to provide a referral, they may do so through our Refer A Patient portal.
Your initial consultation with Dr David Austin will be $120 and will include 40 minutes to 1 hour, during which you will have clinical photos taken, a digital scan, assessment, diagnosis, recommendation of treatment options and a quoted fee. This will also include referral for X-rays, following your consultation. The consultation fee is billed under an item number 014, which may be recognised by your private health insurance. Visit Your First Visit for more information about your consultation.