If you’re concerned about the appearance and function of your teeth and jaws, or you don’t have the confidence to fully smile, then orthodontic treatment is something you might want to consider – no matter how old you are.
A great time to get an orthodontic opinion for your child is when the upper front baby teeth have fallen out and the adult replacement teeth have come through.
However, most orthodontic treatment is undertaken once all of the permanent teeth are through and the person is growing rapidly. This tends to be during the intermediate and early secondary school years. But no one is too old for treatment and Randal treats both children and adults at his practice.
No, you don’t! While many patients are referred, you are also able to refer yourself.
While many patients are referred to our practice by their dentist or school dental therapists, you may self-refer and make an appointment to Randal without a referral. We also get many direct referrals from family and friends of our happy patients.
Not necessarily. Dentists will only be able to treat your orthodontic needs to a limited extent, they may use “one-type-fits-all” treatments for patients, or attempt to rush treatment using approaches not endorsed by the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists.
In some cases patients may end up with unstable or unsatisfactory outcomes, which require re-treatment at an additional full cost, and will need to be referred to a specialist orthodontist due to problems encountered by a dentist attempting orthodontic treatment without specialist training.
Only a specialist orthodontist can provide comprehensive treatment as they have had three additional years of extensive postgraduate University education which dentists do not receive. They are experts in diagnosis, treatment planning andmanagement of orthodontics, and are recognised as orthodontic specialists by the Dental Council of New Zealand.
Make sure the person you choose to do your orthodontic treatment is a specialist orthodontist and a member of the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists. A list of members can be found here.
The New Zealand Association of Orthodontists maintains a current list of specialist orthodontists. Make sure the person you choose to do your orthodontic treatment is aspecialist orthodontist and a member of the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists. A list of members can be found here.
Your family dentist is the expert in maintaining the health of your teeth and gums. A specialist orthodontist like Randal is an expert in maintaining the structure that supports your teeth – making sure that your teeth are in the right place and are firmly in your jaw.
Because of Randal’s expertise, and the extra training that he’s done, you’re best to choose Randal, because he’s a specialist orthodontist for your orthodontic treatment.
An orthodontist is a qualified dentist who has chosen to specialise in this area of dentistry by completing a further three years of postgraduate university-based training. An orthodontist focuses mainly on correcting the position of your teeth and jaw, rather than day-to-day maintenance such as fillings, crowns and wisdom teeth removal.
Just as there are specialists in medicine (such as cardiologists, gastroenterologists, neurologists, etc.), there are specialists in dentistry. Just like you’re best to get a cardiologist to perform your heart surgery, you’re also best to choose an orthodontist for your orthodontic treatment.
An orthodontist specialises in straightening teeth, making them bite together properly and creating a great smile. We make sure your teeth look right and your mouth functions as it should. We are the specialists in this work because we work exclusively with braces and other orthodontic procedures every day.
Orthodontics is a specialist area of dentistry that focuses on straightening teeth and aligning jaws. Orthodontic treatment is designed to improve the way that you smile, which can help boost your self-esteem and can make you feel more confident.
Orthodontic treatment can also make it easier to eat and improve your mouth’s function and your oral health.
