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What are you looking for?
The first visit to us at Toowong Orthodontics is for the initial consultation where we will put aside ample time for you to get to know us and assess if you would like us to be your orthodontist. You will have lots of time to discuss your orthodontic treatment questions with Dr Goodyear, including cost and payment plans. If you haven’t seen your dentist for six months, we will recommend that you have a check-up with your dentist before treatment begins. Having healthy teeth and gums is essential before starting orthodontic treatment.
Arriving at the best treatment plan for you generally involves you having some x-rays taken, a scan and photos of your teeth and face. At Toowong Orthodontics we place great emphasis on including the facial proportions and lip support in the overall treatment result.
In your consultation, we identify the diagnosis and the treatment objectives and fully explain them to you. Next, we book your following appointments to place the braces or appliances. Treatment can generally commence within a few weeks of you letting us know that you wish to proceed.
No. Simply book in and we can begin the process from there. If you have a referral that’s great too as sometimes it is your family dentist who will recommend that you see us for a consultation. Either way is fine.
While we treat all ages, between 8-10 years of age is the best age for an opinion of any orthodontic requirements your child may require. Like most things, any orthodontic problems are best caught early. Even before children lose all of their baby teeth, we can evaluate jaw development and available space for permanent teeth and offer preventative treatment or an orthodontic plan at the optimal stage of growth.
The duration of your treatment will vary according to the complexity of the problem. The average time for comprehensive orthodontic treatment is around 18 months. It can be much less if your back teeth are well aligned, your bite is generally good and it is just your front teeth that need straightening. This is what Orthofast is all about. On the other hand, complex jaw and bite problems may take 2-3 years to complete, but this is rare.
At the end of your first consultation with us you will leave knowing how long your proposed treatment will take to complete.
Toowong Orthodontics is strongly orientated towards not extracting teeth. Occasionally it is necessary for you to see your dentist to have teeth removed, so that we can provide you with the best and most stable long-term result. We will explain all treatment options available to provide you with an excellent treatment result at your first consultation.
It doesn't cause any pain to place braces or aligners. When you first start your orthodontic treatment there is some pressure on your teeth, so you may feel a little discomfort. But as your mouth adjusts to the new appliance this will ease. Modern techniques and materials have made orthodontic treatment much less uncomfortable than in previous years. A soft diet for the initial few days may be necessary to overcome that feeling.
We require two x-rays prior to beginning treatment. These x-rays aid in accurate diagnosis. Some patients present to the practice unaware they have extra teeth sitting up inside the bone (supernumerary), missing teeth (agenesis), bone or tooth-root abnormalities. These issues occur within the bone and are not visible in the mouth, the only way to see if they are present is through the use of x-rays.
The outcome and type of orthodontic treatment patients are offered depends on accurate diagnosis and this can be achieved with the use of x-rays.
Read more about x-rays and why you need them for your orthodontist appointment here.
Separators are a small donut shaped rubber band that are placed between the back teeth to create a space. This is to allow bands (metal rings) to fit on the back teeth. Only a small number of patients who require specific types of appliances need these metal bands. The separators or braces brace separators are generally only left in for about a week which is enough time to make a space between your teeth.
Sometimes these separators can make the teeth feel a bit sore for a few days and you may need a paracetamol tablet in some cases.
No. Ceramic braces are just like pottery in that the ceramic material is non-porous and will not take up the colour of food or drink. The small rubber bands (modules) that hold the arch wire into the brace can take up food colour. We change these modules at each adjustment visit. We recommend that patients avoid any food or drink that contains turmeric, yellow or orange coloured flavouring and curries until just before their adjustment visit.
Yes. Invisalign® has been used to treat over 8 million patients worldwide. The Invisalign® aligner treatment has evolved over the last 20 years as new technologies have emerged. Invisalign® is a reliable, removable, and almost invisible treatment option when used by an experienced orthodontist.
It depends on each individual case. It is generally more efficient to use Invisalign® to treat patients that have open-bite and spacing issues. While it is more efficient to use braces to treat patients with deep-bite and severe crowding issues.
At the consultation, we explain the pros and cons of each system. So, you can make an informed choice before proceeding with treatment.
Whether you choose metal (stainless steel) or ceramic braces, there is no difference in terms of how long treatment will take. Both types of braces are the same in terms of comfort as well; all edges of the brackets are rounded off during manufacture. The difference is purely aesthetic. Ceramic braces are slightly bigger than their metal counterpart however they are made to reflect the colour of the tooth they are placed on, so are less noticeable than metal braces. Due to the cost of production, ceramic braces are slightly more expensive than the metal braces.
This largely depends on which orthodontic appliance we use for your treatment. Braces placed on the outside of teeth won’t affect speech. Incognito braces placed on the inside surface of teeth will affect speech, as this is the same place the tongue presses against to produce certain sounds. How much change to speech is very difficult to predict however most people will find producing “S” sounds difficult for a week or so. Speech returns to normal, or close to normal, fairly quickly depending on how much you talk and practice producing certain sounds. Invisalign® aligners cover all tooth surfaces including the inside of the teeth. Due to being particularly slimline, any speech problems are quickly overcome.
Usually, we schedule braces adjustments visits for between 4-8 weeks, depending on which wires we are using and the stage in your treatment. Invisalign® adjustments will usually occur every 6-8 weeks. Some of our patients travel significant distances to see us, so we can adjust the time between appointments to accommodate this.
Sugar free gum is okay but the sugar in some gum can stick to and around the braces and cause cavities. So, it is best avoided.
Yes, we can provide wax to stop the braces digging into the lips. With some instruments where an embouchure is important, we may suggest aligners rather than braces. But we will discuss the pros and cons of each option with you.
It is important to maintain excellent oral hygiene regardless of whether you have braces or aligners. Healthy teeth and gums allow for predictable and efficient movement of teeth. Brushing to remove all traces of food from around braces is essential to prevent tooth decay and gingivitis. We recommend brushing at least twice a day and flossing or using an interdental brush (Piksters) at least once a day. Many patients will give their teeth a quick brush over each time they eat to remove food particles that get caught around braces.
Patients remove Invisalign® aligners for eating and drinking (except when drinking water). This means brushing is much easier. It also means that aligner patients must brush their teeth before inserting the aligners after eating. Aligners must contact each tooth surface to be effective. So, if food sits under aligners, it prevents the aligner from properly engaging the tooth and risks decay.
If you are an aligner patient you don't need to change your eating habits as you can remove your aligners prior to eating. If you have braces you will need to avoid any hard, sticky, or sugary foods. Foods such as corn chips, lollies, hard chocolate, nuts, and ice can damage the braces. When pressure is put on one or two brackets it can produce enough force to break the glue holding the bracket to the tooth. A broken bracket usually requires an additional appointment to have the bracket reattached to the tooth. If a patient continues to have breakages, then treatment time may extend past the original estimate.
Call the practice if you think something doesn't feel right. Perhaps a wire is digging in, a bracket or attachment has come away from a tooth or a retainer has broken. It is important that the problem is addressed sooner rather than later so that treatment can progress. Or if treatment is complete, to ensure teeth stay aligned.
It is important to continue to see your General Dentist for regular six monthly check-up appointments. As a Specialist Orthodontist, Dr Goodyear focuses on your orthodontic treatment. Your Dentist will check your teeth for signs of decay, and they (or their hygienist) will clean your teeth thoroughly, even with the braces in place.
When patients start orthodontic treatment at the proper time, it is generally less costly than other forms of specialist dentistry required to treat the more serious problems associated with bad bites, malformed jaws and missing teeth. We provide interest free monthly payment plans through Denticare, which provides low-cost direct debit financing. We can also offer payment plans when two separate parties wish to share the cost of one patient’s treatment. If you aren’t an Australian citizen and therefore are unable to access Denticare, we offer other interest free payment plans paid directly to the practice. We also accept most major credit cards and provide HICAPS.
There is no easy ‘one shoe fits all’ answer to this question. All health funds are different and your refund will also depend on your level of cover and what policy you hold. We supply our patients with a list of questions to ask their Private Health Fund. This ensures patients understand the process of making a claim, their refund amount and timing.
The cost of a Zoom in-office teeth whitening treatment is generally around $800, while a take home kit will be approximately half that amount.
There is no easy ‘one shoe fits all’ answer to this question. All health funds are different and your refund will also depend on your level of cover and what policy you hold. We supply our patients with a list of questions to ask their Private Health Fund. This ensures patients understand the process of making a claim, their refund amount and timing.
Because only the front teeth need straightening or some gaps closed, you can now have beautiful, straight teeth in as little as 4 to 7 months. Only the front teeth will need to get braces, so there will be no braces placed on your back teeth.
To find out if our OrthoFast™ treatment is suitable for you it’s important that you see us for an accurate diagnosis visit. Where we will fully explain and cost all treatment options, including OrthoFast™ for you.
Because OrthoFast™ treats only the front teeth and the treatment time is short, the cost of the treatment is reduced as well. Cost also depends on the type of braces you choose. You may have stainless steel braces on the outside of your teeth. Or you may choose to use our latest translucent ceramic braces. This is the most cost effective and aesthetic method for OrthoFast™ with very little visual impact.
Yes. Being Specialist Orthodontists, we don’t compromise on quality. We only recommend the OrthoFast™ treatment option after our usual full diagnostic work up is complete and when the treatment case is suitable for fast treatment. For those who just need tooth re-alignment of the front teeth area, this highly targeted approach means not only a highly effective experience, but a faster and more cost-effective one as well.
Most whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. These chemicals penetrate into tooth enamel and chemically break down the staining. Whitening products vary in terms of the concentration and this is why some whitening products and procedures work better and/or faster than others.
Both options are available, each with differing benefits. The in-practice Zoom whitening treatment is a single one hour treatment, however it is around twice the price of using a take home whitening kit. If you choose the Zoom treatment you will also receive a take home kit to maintain your new shade.
Teeth whitening won’t last forever and how long it does last for varies considerably. Often it depends on each individual’s oral hygiene practices and the types of food and drink consumed. Typically, the in-office whitening will have the longest lasting results as the hydrogen peroxide penetrates deeper into the enamel. However, many people are happy with the results achieved with the take-home whitening kit as they are able to give themselves a top up whenever they like, such as before a big event.
Not everyone is suitable for teeth whitening. We can consult with you and recommend the most appropriate option, as well as discuss the risks and benefits and likely results. We do not recommend teeth whitening for people with crowns, veneers, periodontal disease, those requiring dental restorations, children, pregnant or breastfeeding women. As some teeth whitening may exacerbate tooth sensitivity, Dr Goodyear may recommend a prophylactic course of a recalcifying agent prior to the whitening procedure.
T (07) 3870 0922 F (07) 3870 2839
Text Us 0483 950 261
E info@toowongorthodontics.com.au
W toowongorthodontics.com.au
A Level 2, Toowong Terraces
31 Sherwood Rd, Toowong, QLD 4066
Monday 8 am to 4 pm
Tuesday 10 am to 6 pm
Wednesday 9 am to 5 pm
Thursday 10:30 am to 6:30 pm
Friday 9 am to 5 pm
