When I speak to patients about getting their teeth straightened, they are often brimming with questions about what method would be right for them. When people think of braces, they often think they are limited to the tramtrack braces that were prominent 10 or 20 years ago. Nowadays, there are so many options available for individuals looking for that perfect smile. If you are struggling to talk to your patients about braces, try following these simple steps:
Determine their goals
Any consultation about braces should always start with a chat about what they hope to achieve. Some patients just want to fix a small problem before a big event like a wedding or graduation while others might want to fix more serious problems with their bite. Intention should always shape the treatment as this can mean the difference between Invisalign braces and lingual braces, for example.
Get a history
You’d be surprised how many patients fail to mention that they had braces as a child or that they recently had their wisdom teeth removed. It’s impossible to give accurate advice if you don’t have a complete picture, so get a history and take X Rays before advising the patient on any treatment options. You don’t want to get their hopes up that they could have their teeth fixed in 6 months with i7 aligners only to discover their history will make this impossible.
Leave price to the end
I always get very sad when I see patients making their decisions based on price as this should be the last thing they consider. If your patient keeps trying to bring it back around to what they can afford then it might be a good time to mention if you have any finance options or ways to spread the cost of treatment. It’s also worth noting all of the added extras that your practice provides, such as teeth whitening, checkups or retainers. You might also run special offers like Invisalign offers that they might be interested in.