Dr. Nicholson and Becht are dedicated to providing excellent orthodontic care in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. If you have questions concerning our practice, please do not hesitate to ask using our contact form.
Location
We maintain three offices for your convenience. The location, phone numbers and office hours can be found by selecting “Locations” from the main navigation. Each office is equipped to provide full treatment.
Appointments
All patients are treated by appointment-only with the exception of emergency situations. Being punctual is very important; if you are late for an appointment, we may not be able to accomodate you without rescheduling. Appointments are scheduled every 6-10 weeks. Longer appointments, such as the placement of braces and appliances, are done in the morning. This enables us to schedule as many patients as possible after school hours.
Length of treatment
Orthodontic treatment involves a gradual alignment of the teeth within each jaw as well as coordination of the jaws. The length of time required to complete this process depends upon several factors and varies considerably from one patient to the next. Factors most likely to affect treatment time are the severity of the problem, the number of missed appointments and the degree of patient compliance. It should be noted that regular appointment attendance and compliance with doctor’s instructions is strongly encouraged and is necessary to achieve the desired result without delay.
Progress reports
Questions regarding any aspect of treatment including progress, compliance, oral hygiene and other instructions are encouraged. Attendance by parents at each visit is not required. However, if present, you are welcome to come in at the end of each appointment for a progress report.
Cleaning and diet
The teeth and braces must be cleaned thoroughly on a daily basis with fluoride toothpaste. Stay away from hard, sticky, or sweet food. These may result in tooth decay, appliance breakage, and prolonged treatment time. Also avoid drinks such as soda pop, Gatorade and energy drinks. These drinks are known to cause enamel decalcification (white marks around the brackets). These white marks are permanent and will require costly cosmetic dental procedures to reverse.
Electric toothbrushes
Most electric toothbrushes are effective in cleaning braces; the key is to use them for the appropriate amount of time and reach all areas. You will still need to floss. Manual toothbrushes will clean teeth and braces just as effectively. You will be given thorough oral hygiene instructions when you receive braces.
Dental supervision
In addition to orthodontic treatment, regular visits to your dentist are required. Orthodontic treatment is specialized care and does not meet your need for dental check-ups.
Fees
Fees are based on each individual patient’s needs. Services rendered for all patients are equal regardless of insurance coverage status. Fees will be discussed with our New Patient Coordinator and a payment plan will be agreed upon during an initial consultation. If treatment is longer than the payment schedule, no additional fees will be charged. Likewise, if treatment is completed early, continued payment is expected. Most fees are all-inclusive unless stated otherwise. There will be additional fees for lost or broken appliances.
Emergency information
It is not unusual for patients to experience some discomfort after certain adjustment appointments. However, if discomfort persists or is greater than expected, please see the Emergency Information portion of this website, or call one of our offices for help. After hours, call our Clarksville office (812) 288-6681 for automated emergency instructions.