ADULT PATIENTS
New Patient Guide
A PARENTS GUIDE
When is the right age to start orthodontic treatment?
BENEFITS OF EARLY TREATMENT
PHASE I & PHASE II TREATMENT
How often will our appointments be?
How long will our treatment take?
Will our insurance pay for orthodontics?
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ADULT PATIENTS
Welcome to Dr. Haese's office! Orthodontic treatment can
be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate
the benefits of a beautiful smile. There has been a
tremendous increase in the number of adults seeking
orthodontic treatment as a result of new esthetic
alternatives. Orthodontics is not just for kids anymore —
in fact, half of Dr. Haese's patients are now over
twenty-one. We realize that you may have questions
about orthodontic treatment, so we have created
a guide to help you.
New Patient Guide
At Dr. Haese's office, we pride ourselves on being
prepared and organized. By the time you arrive for
your consultation, our staff will have already contacted
your dentist and have obtained any recent x-rays
which may be useful for us. If there is anything
significant to know with regard to your recent medical
or dental care, please let us know prior to your visit so
that Dr. Haese may contact your dentist or physician.
In preparation for your first appointment, please
complete the forms available here online.
please click here. Online Registration
During your first visit, Dr. Haese will review your medical
and dental histories, perform a comprehensive examination,
and discuss your treatment options, including the
approximate length of your treatment and the type of
appliances that will best fit your needs. The goal of this
first visit is for you to become fully informed as to what
your orthodontic problem is and the general approach
we will take to fix it. You will have ample time to spend
with Dr. Haese and to ask him any questions you may have.
In order for Dr. Haese to complete his diagnosis, we will
need to take a full set of diagnostic records, including
orthodontic x-rays, photographs, and models of the teeth.
Once your diagnostic records have been taken,
Dr. Haese's will review and study them to create an
individualized, written treatment plan. Your next visit
will be your final consultation, in which Dr. Haese will
explain the treatment plan and we will schedule you to
begin your treatment. Your payment plan and insurance
information will also be finalized at this time.
If you have any questions about the new patient process,
please send us an email, or call us directly at 608-873-7888.
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A PARENTS GUIDE
What will happen at our first appointment?
At Dr. Haese's office, we pride ourselves on being prepared
and organized. By the time you have arrived for your
consultation, our staff will have already contacted the dentist
that referred you and will have obtained any recent x-rays
which may be useful for us. If there is anything significant
to know with regard to your child's recent medical or dental
care, please let us know prior to your visit so that Dr. Haese
may contact your child's dentist or physician.
Online Registration
In preparation for your first appointment, please complete
the forms located here online Online Registration and bring
them with you to your first visit or fax them to 608-877-1859
During your visit, Dr. Haese will review your child's medical
and dental histories. Our goal of this first visit is for you to
become fully informed as to what your child's orthodontic
problem is and the general approach we will take to fix it.
You will have ample time to spend with Dr. Haese and to
ask him any questions you may have.
In order for Dr. Haese to complete his diagnosis, we must
take a full set of orthodontic records, including x-rays,
photographs, and models of the teeth.
Once your child's diagnostic records have been taken,
Dr. Haese will review and study them to create an
individualized, written treatment plan. Your next
visit will be your final consultation, in which Dr. Haese
will present you with a thorough explanation of the
diagnosis and treatment plan, and we will schedule
your child to begin his or her treatment. Your payment
plan and insurance information will also be finalized at
this time.
If you have any questions about the new patient
process, please send us an email.
When is the right age to start orthodontic treatment?
AAO Recommendation for Early Orthodontic Screening
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that
all children have an orthodontic screening no later than age 7.
Why screen by age 7? The posterior occlusion is established
when the first molars erupt. At that time, one can evaluate
the antero-posterior and transverse relationships of the
occlusion, as well as discover any functional shifts. Incisors
have begun to erupt and problems can be detected such as
crowding, habits, deep bites, open bites and some facial
asymmetries.
For some, a timely screening will lead to significant treatment
benefits; for most, the principal immediate benefit is a parent's
peace of mind. The dentist who makes timely referrals is
rightly regarded as informed, caring and concerned for the
total well being of the patient.
Click here to schedule an Initial Consultation.
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BENEFITS OF EARLY TREATMENT
For those patients who have clear indications for early
intervention, early treatment presents the opportunity to:
Harmonize width of the dental arches.
Improve eruption patterns.
Lower risk of trauma to protruded upper incisors.
Correct harmful oral habits.
Improve aesthetics and self-esteem.
Simplify and/or shorten treatment time for later corrective orthodontics.
Reduce likelihood of impacted permanent teeth.
Improve some speech problems.
Preserve or gain space for erupting permanent teeth.
Take advantage of cooperation before the teenage years
Reduce or eliminate the need to extract permanent teeth
Influence jaw growth in a positive manner.
Reduce potential for damage to jaw joints
Reduce or eliminate the need for jaw surgery
Increase the stability of final treatment results
Guide permanent teeth into more favorable positions
Improve lip closure
Early orthodontic screening can lead to simpler, more
effective treatment for dental patients or, at least,
greater peace of mind.
Becoming accustomed to an orthodontist, the office
and the staff can also alleviate anxiety when it comes
time to start orthodontic treatment. The patients and
parents have a better idea of what to expect for
treatment and the parents often have an idea of how
payment schedules work and can look into insurance
coverage if that is an option.
If you notice a problem with your child's teeth or if
your dentist recommends you bring them to an
orthodontist when they seem too young, it is in your
best interest to make the appointment. Everyone wants
and deserves a beautiful smile, and everyone should
have a healthy one.
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PHASE I & PHASE II TREATMENT
1) WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT A BAD BITE
OR MISFIT OF MY CHILD'S TEETH?
Bad bites can be detrimental to a patient's dental
health by possibly causing premature wear on the
teeth, asymmetrical jaw growth, difficulty in oral
hygiene, or malfunctioning bite. Orthodontics will
align your child's teeth for optimum function,
hygiene, and appearance.
2) WHAT IS PHASE I TREATMENT?
Phase I or Interceptive Treatment usually starts
while the child has most of their baby teeth and
a few of their permanent front incisors. This stage
in development is usually about the age of eight to
nine. The goal of Phase I treatment is to intercept
a moderate or severe orthodontic problem early in
order to reduce it's severity. In most cases where
early orthodontic treatment is recommended, the
immediate treatment objective will be one of the
following: to correct jaw disproportion before
aligning teeth to prevent injury to protruded front
teeth to manage crowding and prevent permanent
tooth extraction, whenever possible to eliminate
damaging oral habits to improve the smile/self-
confidence With these problems, timely treatment
takes advantage of the early growth spurt and
turns a difficult orthodontic problem into a more
manageable one. This helps reduce the need for
extractions or surgery and delivers better long
term results and treatment options.
3) DOES EVERYONE NEED A PHASE I TREATMENT?
Absolutely not! Only certain bites require early
intervention. All others can, and should, wait
until most or all their permanent teeth erupt.
4) IF MY CHILD HAS EARLY TREATMENT, WILL
ADDITIONAL TREATMENT BE NECESSARY?
In most cases, yes. After the permanent teeth
have erupted, treatment is usually necessary to
complete the work that was started in the earlier
phase. The objective of continued treatment is to
place the permanent teeth in positions of optimal
function, comfort, esthetics and long-term stability.
5) CAN I WAIT ON PHASE I ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
UNTIL MY CHILD IS OLDER?
This is not recommended. If your child needs Phase I
treatment this usually means that he or she has a
difficult problem that requires attention now. If no
orthodontic action is taken, treatment options become
limited, more difficult, and the long-term stability may
be compromised. In addition, it may lead to extractions,
oral surgery and increased costs.
6) WHAT IS THE LENGTH/DURATION OF PHASE I TREATMENT?
Typically, phase I/early treatment takes 4 to 16 months,
or longer depending on the age of the patient, the severity
of the problem, the patient's cooperation, and the degree
of movement possible.
7) WHAT IS PHASE II TREATMENT?
Phase II treatment usually occurs one or two years later
and involves "full" braces. Usually we are waiting for 12-16
more permanent teeth to erupt before Phase II begins.
This most commonly occurs at the age of 11-13. The goal
of Phase II treatment is to achieve an ideal occlusion
("bite") with all of the permanent teeth.
8) OUR RECALL PROGRAM
If your child is not ready to begin orthodontic treatment,
he/she will be placed on our Recall Program.
The timing of orthodontic treatment is critical. Age is less
of a factor than is the level of growth and development
of each individual. Some treatment methods such as the
extraction of permanent teeth, can be avoided if Orthodontics
is started at the ideal time.
By observing your child on a six month basis we can determine
the ideal time to begin treatment. Our patients become
comfortable with the office setting and our staff before
any work is started. Visits are quick and easy.
We request that you make your six month Recall visit in
advance. We will mail you a reminder card about a month
before your appointment.
Click here to schedule an Initial Consultation.
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One of the most frequent questions that we are asked
is "When is the right time for kids to start orthodontic
treatment?" The answer will be different for each
individual child. Many problems are best treated when
the full eruption of all permanent teeth occurs
(this is usually between ages ten and thirteen), but
there are some problems which require treatment at
an earlier age (seven to ten). Because each child
develops at their own pace and presents with a
unique set of needs (both biological and psycho-social),
Dr. Haese believes in arriving at an individual diagnosis
for each child, so that the treatment rendered is both
appropriate and efficient. This is done through careful
analysis and interpretation of the diagnostic records
(x-rays, models of the teeth, etc.). You can be sure
that after completing the consultation process, you
and your child will have a very thorough understanding
of the problem at hand and the proposed treatment plan.
How often will our appointments be?
Once your child has entered active treatment, the
appointments will generally be every four to six weeks
(for approximately fifteen minutes), and these can be
scheduled after school. The first few appointments,
when we place the braces or the appliances, are
generally longer appointments. These appointments
are scheduled in the morning, when Dr. Haese and
his staff have the time to give the appropriate
amount of attention to these important procedures.
How long will our treatment take?
Treatment time typically ranges from one to two
years, depending on the growth of the patient's
mouth and face and the severity of the problem.
Each individual person grows at a different rate
and will respond differently to orthodontic treatment.
The patient's diligent use of any prescribed appliance
is an important factor in achieving the best, most
efficient treatment result. Interceptive, or early
treatment procedures, may take as little as six months.
Will our insurance pay for orthodontics?
Every insurance company is different with regard to
orthodontic coverage. Please bring your insurance
card with you to your visit, and we will contact the
insurance company to determine your benefit. If you
have any specific questions, please contact the front
desk by email or phone.
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