FAQS
Burtonsville, MD
You're welcome to call our office at 301-857-9096 to schedule your appointment. If you do not get an answer, we'll contact you within one business day to get you scheduled.
Yes. We are happy to accept new patients. We are always excited to provide new and existing patients with cutting-edge orthodontic care. We look forward to meeting you!
We kindly request that you contact our office at least 24 hours prior to your appointment to cancel or reschedule an existing appointment.
While we do not presently offer late appointments, we are happy to offer select Saturday appointments for your convenience. Contact our office, and we can find a time that fits your busy schedule.
Absolutely. Please let us know ahead of time if there are any special arrangements you or a loved one require. We're happy to accommodate you in any way we can.
You'll need to bring in the following:
- Your completed new patient forms
- A photo ID
- Your insurance card
- A list of current medications and medical conditions
- The phone number of your general dentist
- A clearance letter from your general dentist indicating that you are dentally and periodontally cleared for orthodontic treatment. You can consider having your dentist fax this clearance letter to 301-371-2311 in advance of your appointment.
First off let us say congratulations to you! Pregnancy is a time where there are significant hormonal changes which can also greatly impact oral tissues potentially leading to inflammation, bleeding, benign tumors of the gums. We would not recommend initiating orthodontic treatment during this time. If you become pregnant while in treatment we will: closely monitor oral conditions, avoid x-rays and keep your teeth in a passive holding pattern until after you have given birth.
We are glad you asked! It is very important to maintain regular dental visits while in orthodontic treatment to maintain oral health. According to the American Dental Association, you should schedule dental visits at intervals determined by your dentist. In general, patients require twice-yearly exams and cleanings. However, some patients with a history of gum disease or those at a higher risk of developing dental problems will require more frequent appointments. At Bespoke Orthodontics we certainly value straight teeth, but value healthy teeth even more!
First off let us say congratulations to you! Pregnancy is a time where there are significant hormonal changes which can also greatly impact oral tissues potentially leading to inflammation, bleeding, benign tumors of the gums. We would not recommend initiating orthodontic treatment during this time. If you become pregnant while in treatment we will: closely monitor oral conditions, avoid x-rays and keep your teeth in a passive holding pattern until after you have given birth.
We're happy to welcome you to our practice! We'll start by taking a complete medical and dental history and will ask you about the reason you are seeking orthodontic care. Our team will take the necessary records to perform an orthodontic consultation. This may involve taking x-rays (such as a panorex or cephalogram), an intra-oral scan and/or photographs.
The orthodontist will perform a thorough clinical examination and review the records taken.
At the conclusion of your appointment, the orthodontist will review your clinical conditions and discuss treatment options with you. We will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan to achieve your desired outcomes and provide a beautiful ‘bespoke’ smile.
Most orthodontic cases take roughly two years to complete depending on the complexity of the case. You can expect to report for orthodontic visits anywhere from every 4-8 weeks. The first appointments when starting treatment take longer 60 to 90 minutes. The recurring visits typically take 30 minutes.
If you have a concern please call the office and we will give you a time to come in during business hours. Please call our emergency number for guidance if you need urgent dental care outside our office hours.
An emergency is a situation requiring urgent care to relieve severe pain, treat an infection, save a tooth, or control bleeding. There are rarely true emergencies in orthodontics. Most emergencies involve a broken bracket or a poking wire. Here are some pointers so you can manage these concerns until we can get you in for an evaluation during business hours:
Broken Brackets and Wire Pokes
If the bracket is still attached to the wire and not bothering you, leave it in place. If a wire is poking you, it is possible the wire has shifted. Locate the black dot(s) on the wire and center it between your two front teeth using a pair of clean tweezers. If this does not help, you could use a clean cuticle or nail cutter to clip the wire. Finally, you could use an eraser off a pencil, end of a q-tip or wax on the poking wire. Good adherence to diet instructions will reduce chances of broken brackets and wire shifting.
Soreness or Tooth Mobility
Some soreness or mild tooth mobility is normal with orthodontic treatment, especially after an adjustment. Soreness typically tapers off after 5-7 days. You can use over the counter pain medications as instructed on the bottle for management of discomfort. If you notice excessive mobility or pain you feel is beyond soreness or discomfort, please feel free to contact the office to get an emergency evaluation.
Gum or Gingival Swelling Around an Appliance
Sometimes either due to marginal oral hygiene or gum tissue response to the appliance, a patient may experience localized swelling. Warm salt water rinses twice a day and adhering to recommended oral hygiene instructions can help. Please let the office know if you experienced this as the appliance may need to be removed temporarily or permanently to eliminate swelling. This sort of swelling is not to be confused with swelling associated with infections which would have swelling with pus/purulence, fever, malaise, severe pain. If swelling is noted in combination with these symptoms, you should seek immediate care with your dentist, urgent care or the emergency room.
Trauma to the face or an avulsed tooth
Please seek care with your dentist, urgent care or the emergency room. Please let our office know this occurred so you can be scheduled for evaluation during business hours. Be sure to wear a mouthguard while participating in sports and avoid horseplay to lessen chances of trauma.
We invite you to call us right away if you feel you require urgent orthodontic care. However, if you or a loved one experience a life-threatening emergency such as uncontrolled bleeding or a fractured jaw, call 911 or head to your nearest emergency room.
We understand that many of our patients are fearful of dental treatment in general. Good news is that we do not require needles for orthodontic treatment! The procedures are tolerated very well by most of our patients. We make every effort to be gentle and transparent, making sure that you know what to expect.
We recommend brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste five times per day or every time you eat-whichever is greater. You should also floss thoroughly at least once a day. We recommend flossing at night where you have time to thoroughly floss. Waterpiks are great, we love them, but they do NOT take the place of flossing.
It is important to orthodontically move teeth in the presence of healthy tissues. Adherence to these instructions ensures this. This will also prevent caries, infections and white spot lesions.
Depends! If you are in traditional metal brackets or ceramic brackets you will have to avoid any crunchy, sticky or hard items. This includes chewing gum, chips, popcorn, nuts, starburst, gummy bears. If you eat yummy nutritional items like apples or raw carrots just make sure they are very thinly sliced. Now that you have braces you want to chew things with the tops of your back teeth versus biting into things with you like sandwiches or meat off the bone. This means ripping or cutting things into smaller pieces that you can chew. It is important to adhere to these instructions to avoid broken brackets and extended treatment time.
If you are in clear aligner therapy like Invisalign, you can pretty much eat whatever you want. Just remember you cannot eat or drink with the aligner in and you need to clean your teeth and replace the aligner back in your mouth immediately after eating or drinking.
We assure you still have plenty of delicious options to choose from just make sure to avoid the hard sticky ones. You can enjoy pasta, mashed potatoes, tender cuts of meat and fish (taken off the bone), cooked vegetables, ice cream, pizza (no crust), burgers (cut up) just to name a few.