Please call and set up an appointment for a consultation examination with GD Orthodontics. This appointment will give you the opportunity to let us know your concerns. Many after school and Saturday appointments are available upon your request.

Your first appointment involves a clinical examination (about 30-45 minutes) to determine your orthodontic needs. This is a free exam for children age 15 and under. We'll tell you about any problems we discover and describe the necessary corrective treatment as well as any alternative treatment options. We'll also talk about how much it's likely to cost and approximate treatment time. If it is agreed to proceed with the treatment plan, the patient must have had a recent complete examination by their family dentist. It is important that the patient maintain semi-annual "check-up" visits with their family dentist during the period of orthodontic treatment.

At your second appointment, a set of diagnostic records including photographs of the face and teeth, plaster molds of the teeth, and head and jaw x-rays are routinely taken prior to the start of treatment. These are needed for analysis and treatment planning.

We will be happy to review the financial aspects of your care. Although fees vary based on individual treatment requirements, we offer payment options plus remittance of your treatment plan to your insurance company if you have orthodontic coverage.

It is important for you to know the orthodontic coverage of your dental insurance. There is usually a percentage and limit (per person/lifetime) for reimbursement.

Orthodontic treatment may take place as a single phase of treatment for adults and teenagers or it may be split into several Phases. Phase I (usually younger children) involves appliances such as Twin Blocks, or expansion appliances to encourage the growth of the jaws in a certain direction to correct bite discrepancies. Phase II is often still required for patients who have undergone Phase I treatment in order to detail the alignment of the teeth.

Generally, excellent orthodontic treatment results can be obtained with cooperative and informed patients. It is very important once orthodontic treatment has been started that you keep your regularly scheduled appointments, practice good oral hygiene, wear any appliances and/or elastic bands as instructed, and inform us of any problems you may have.

When you are finished with active treatment, you will usually have retainers fitted to hold your orthodontic correction in its ideal finished position. This is a part of the treatment and included in the cost that will be discussed with you at the time of your consultation.

You may be fitted with either removable or fixed retainers. If you do not wear your retainers as instructed, there can be relapse of the teeth toward their original position. This could necessitate putting the braces back on your teeth for re-treatment at additional cost.

The retention phase is a very important part of treatment. You will still be seen by the orthodontist, though not as often as when in active treatment. Your treatment cost includes up to two years of retention visits to ensure that your orthodontic correction is maintained.

If something is hurting you or has come loose or broken, you should phone our office immediately at 905-275-1022. We will assess the problem over the phone and give you instructions or fit you in for an appointment to have the problem taken care of.

If you have lost or broken your retainer, you need a new one! Call us right away and a new retainer will be made for you. There is a lab charge for new retainers.

If the emergency involves trauma to the teeth, contact us, your general dentist, and oral surgeon or go to the emergency room of your nearest hospital.