Full Term Dental Braces
At McKeefry Dental we offer a range of orthodontic services including full term dental braces. Our leading full term braces uses advanced orthodontic tools specifically developed by the ‘Progressive’ orthodontics program.
With the Progressive ‘Individual Patients’ (IP) orthodontics program, instead of a 'one size fits all' approach used in typical straight wire appliances (dental braces), we customise your braces and wires. Since the braces have been specifically made for you, a faster and more effective treatment can be expected.
Benefits of IP Orthodontics - Full Term Braces
With IP Orthodontics you can enjoy many benefits, including in brief:
- A fully customised solution - tailored specifically to address your individual dental requirements.
- A treatment plan designed utilising leading computer-generated orthodontic technology.
- Faster treatment resulting in reduced treatment time.
- Greater comfort, as your braces and wires are customised to you. With our customised program you will experience less wire changes, reduced pain, and irritation.
- Suitable for all ages including children, teens and adults.
- Ideal treatment of a wide range of conditions including: crowded teeth; widely spaced teeth; overbites, underbites, and open/closed bite conditions; and misaligned teeth.
Be assured, with our full term dental braces, we offer the ultimate in orthodontic personal care and support. Over your treatment period, we will guide you through the process in a structured and care-focused manner. To ensure a successful result, we take the time to explain to you all the key steps in a clear and succinct manner, and talk to you about your at home care requirements. It's all part of our promise to provide a leading cosmetic dental and orthodontic service.
Orthodontics
Short Term Dental Braces
The difference with full term dental braces and short term dental braces (or “fast braces’) is that only part of the problem is treated. This is generally only offered as a possible solution to adult patients and is more an alternative to veneers than full braces.
Often times a patient’s bite can be far from ideal, but the only thing that bothers them is a few crooked front teeth.
So long as the patient fully understands the limitations of treatment, then short term dental braces may be an appropriate option for them. So instead of correcting the bite and aligning the teeth as with full term dental braces, just the front alignment is done therefore the treatment is completed faster and for a lesser cost. Again this is discussed with you at the pre-treatment consultation.
The short term dental braces process is essentially the same as our full term dental braces (see above).
Overview and Benefits of our Braces
With the Progressive Individual Patients Orthodontics program you can enjoy many benefits, including:
A Fully Customised Dental Solution
At McKeefry Dental we take the time to diagnose the exact requirements for your dental braces. As part of our fully tailored solution, each tooth is individually assessed to determine the optimum bracket and overall archwire design for you. We know this level of attention is critical to determining your optimum treatment plan.
A Program and Treatment Plan Designed Utilising Leading Computer-Generated Orthodontic Technology
At our practice we use the latest in orthodontic technology to create the optimal treatment plan. With computer aided diagnosis, we can accurately predict your teeth's path to its final position, thereby shortening your treatment time and reducing unexpected tooth movements.
To ensure successful results, we analyse every detail before the treatment plan commences and we interpret potential problems before they happen.
Some of the technologies used in determining the appropriate treatment path include digital cephalometric analysis, model measuring, and visual treatment objectives.
Faster Treatment
A key element to our leading orthodontics approach is the Individual Patient (IP) Appliance® incorporated in to the Progressive treatment plan. This is the first customised appliance system in the world and utilises an enhanced straight archwire technique. Your most advanced and customised IP Appliances include:
- Brackets specific to each tooth and custom welded bands.
- Archwires selected specifically for your facial characteristics and required tooth movement patterns.
- Long acting nickel-titanium springs and wires which extend the time between treatment visits.
Treatment with the IP Appliance® has been shown to be months faster than the current straight archwire appliance treatment. However, it's important to note that treatment time varies significantly by severity, age, and anatomy. We can give you a guide on your likely treatment time at your initial consultation.
Greater Comfort
Since your braces and wires are customised to you, one of the key benefits you will experience include less wire changes, reduced pain, and irritation.
Our Treatment Process
Following on your initial consultation, we will collect dental records (photographs, teeth scans, digital skull x-rays etc.) which will be used to plan your treatment.
A full consultation is advised to run through detailed treatment options, times, fees and payment options. At this session we will discuss: the approach we recommend, your treatment schedule, and likely outcomes. We will also show you the predicted outlines of your front teeth. At the end of this session we can provide you with estimate costs for your full treatment.
Once you have approved to proceed, we will arrange an initial appointment where we ascertain the size requirements for fitting your bands, brackets, and archwires. This appointment usually takes 30 mins.
Your next appointment, approximately 2 weeks later, is for fitting your full term dental braces. This appointment usually takes 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Future appointments are then scheduled, approximately every six to eight weeks. At each of your regular appointments we review progress to date, fit new wires, and assess any other mechanics that need to be instigated. These appointments usually take 15 – 45 mins.
Once you have completed wearing your braces we will fit you with your required retainer/s. These retainer/s often just need to be worn at night, to ensure you retain the position of your teeth.
Orthodontic emergencies & braces emergency advice
Orthodontics/braces are somewhat tricky over the holidays as most general dentists are not equipped to help with difficulties with braces. We've prepared a little braces emergency guide for you. You can download your copy here. Or you can read more about what to do if you have an emergency with your braces on our blog.
Enjoy a complimentary orthodontic consultation (valued at $95)**.
Are you suffering from one of these symptoms?
- Overcrowding of your teeth
- Teeth spacing/gaps between your teeth
- Protruding teeth/buck teeth
- Non-central alignment of your front teeth (midline shift); or
- Bite misalignment/overbite/bite correction
At McKeefry Dental we offer a range of orthodontic services including Dental Braces that can be the right solution for you. Our leading Braces use advanced orthodontic tools specifically developed by the ‘Progressive’ orthodontics programme.
**Patient must mention this offer when booking appointment with McKeefry Dental. Offer includes 1 x clinical consultation. Radiographs may or may not be required and taken at the clinic, please discuss radiographs with reception. Total cost of radiographs are at the patient’s expense of $150. Total cost for full course of orthodontic treatment varies, depending on a patient’s individual requirements. Offer is non-transferable and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. If, at the dentist’s clinical discretion, new x-rays or impressions are required due to a time lapse between an initial consultation and treatment commencement date, these will be provided at an additional cost. Please contact McKeefry Dental to discuss your eligibility for orthodontics treatment and what results may be achievable for you.
If you would like to arrange your initial complimentary consultation or you wish to understand more
about our your suitability for braces please Contact Us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Braces
Individual Patient (IP) Orthodontics is an improved version of the standard (straight archwire) orthodontic treatment.
The focus of this treatment is all about tailored, individual solutions, customised to deliver optimal results. This customised approach results in faster, more consistent treatment results.
It is based around assessing and fitting a customised orthodontic appliance (IP Appliance®) which includes:
- Brackets specific to each tooth.
- Custom welded bands.
- Archwires specific to your facial characteristics and tooth movements.
- Long acting nickel-titanium springs.
Integral to our treatment programme is our specific computer aided diagnosis. Through using our leading computer diagnosis tool, we determine the best brackets and wire combinations specific for your treatment requirements.
Treatment is dependent on the severity of each individual patient's orthodontic issues. Treatment may vary from anywhere between six months to three years with an average treatment taking around 18 to 24 months. Treatment with the IP Appliance® has been shown to be at least 6 months faster than the traditional straight archwire appliance treatment.
Yes you do. While your teeth may be visually straight in 2-6 months, it is very important to continue to wear your braces and complete your treatment correctly following the appearance of straightened teeth. This is often because the roots of your teeth move slower than the visible parts of your teeth. We can guide you on the length of time that braces will be required to be worn after the initial appearance of your straightened teeth.
Retention is improved significantly by straightening the teeth more effectively, earlier on in the treatment plan. With our customised approach your teeth are straightened to their final positions earlier on and as a result have an improved capacity to retain in that position.
Yes. Once your treatment is completed (Full or Short Term Braces), and your dental braces are removed, you will be required to wear a retainer. By wearing a retainer at a consistent level, it will ensure your teeth remain in their adjusted position.
Often they are. For full term braces we generally fit and use metal braces. These are recognised as the most efficient. However, if appearance is important to you we are able to offer cosmetic brackets. Please feel free to discuss this option with us.
Treatment fees are usually similar to that of wearing traditional braces. At your initial consultation we can happily discuss with you your cost of treatment and our payment options.
Your initial consultation, which is complimentary, is approximately 15 mins, and at this consultation we take the time to discuss your concerns while broadly outlining options, costs and procedures. If you decide to proceed with the next step, an appointment can be scheduled to collect dental records (photographs, teeth scans, digital skull x-rays etc.). Following that a full consultation is advised to run through detailed treatment options, times, fees and payment options.
founded in 1985. Dr Donald McGann released the IP Appliance® in 2003. McKeefry Dental is one of the few dental practices in Wellington using this leading orthodontic technology.
Short Term Dental Braces (also referred to as “Fast Braces”) offer an alternative approach of treatment for addressing a number of common teeth alignment and teeth placement conditions. Short Term Braces are mainly used in situations which predominantly involve alignment or movement of the front and side teeth. For more major teeth alignment conditions Full Term Dental Braces may be required. This method of treatment is also mainly suitable for adult teeth.
Our Short Term Braces are made of metal or teeth coloured materials which are fitted to your teeth. High tech archwires are also fitted to assist with moving the teeth to their desired position.
Treatment is dependent on the severity of each individual patient's orthodontic issues. Treatment may vary from anywhere between 4-12 months with an average treatment taking around 6 months.
The overall cost of treatment is likely to be cheaper than standard Full Term Braces due to the reduced time and number of treatments needing to be undertaken to achieve the desired results. At your initial consultation we can happily discuss with you your cost of treatment and our payment options.