Ideal braces clinic.
In my ideal dream world.
Braces would still be common. but for low income earning people on public healthcare there is another clinic but compliance is strictly enfoced. most patients however get special treatment and end up with additional and sometimes unnessacery appliances While this clinic uses modern braces rather than bands. The appliances they use are big and bulky and most patients end up with at least 1 or 2 during their treatment plan. Also this clinic doubles up as an optician and audio centre and all patients before braceing are screaned and any hearing loss or vision issue is corrected with hearing aids and or glasses straight away. At this clinic at least 1 in 15 patients walk out with glasses braces hearing aids all on the same day . Also sometimes patients who have perfect vision are prescribed glasses anyway. If the patient gets hearing aids they get large,bulky grey ones and if glasses are prescribed they use ones that clip to the arms of the glasses. Also when patients get glasses they are always for full time wear and during the period of treatment lenses are almost always made stronger and its not uncommon to end up being depended on thick strong glasses after several Mounts of treatment Also lined bi focals and prism lenses are often prescribed. Especially for uncooperative patients. And frames are often large and either wire avators or large oversied thick plastic nerdy glasses. Refusal to wear glasses is delt with by special eye drops that cause blury vision and eye pain that can only be relived via use of the glasses and this also often leads to higher prescriptions being issued.
After glasses and hearing aids are delt with patients begin orthodontic treatment.
On the First visit full metal braces are fitted to both rows of teeth however if a patient needs an expander that is also fitted at this time and cemented in on this visit instead Also most patients who get expanders get both upper and lower ones and they will remain on for at least 2 years but often for 3 especially with headgear patients Also these expanders are often very big and bulky and cause a massive lisp and fill the patients mouth with metal and plastic that covers the roof and bottom. Once the braces are fitted the patient is sent off and told to come back in 3 mounths and will have an appointment every 3 Mounts until treatment is done. Sometimes however some unlucky patients get the next steps brought forward and end up getting exrra metal early.
After 3 mounths the patient returns. Before orthopedics are delt with. The patient goes back to optical and audio and gets tesred and then new often stronger lenses for their glasses. And possibly new frames. Also hearing aids are adjusted as needed
When they get to the orthodontist the patient gets Their wires changed and tightened. And then hook brackets fitted for rubber bands . Often patients get at least 6 elastics but often more and its not uncommon to end up with a mouth full of elastics. Also at this stage. Power chains are possibly fitted. (if not they are down the track. But 1/3 unlucky patients sometimes get a bonus which is usualy additional lingual brackets and wires fitted to the back of the teeth which cause exrra lisps and adds additional metal Although sometimes they get an appliance fitted in addition or instead. but appliances is usually few visits down the track. At the 12 mounth mark
At the 12 mounth mark a compliance assessment is carried out and those who fall short or sometimes just any ramdom patient who the doctor doesnt gets fitted with stricter fixed aplliances. If patients dont wear their elastics herbsts and fixed spring appliances are fitted and will often remain in for the next couple of years at least but half patients end up with headgear instead or sometimes in addition to the appliances and a combination herbst and uper headgear is not uncommon. When the headgear is fitted the patient is often made to wear for a minimum of 18 hours a day but its not unusual for 24 hour wear to be demanded. Also some patients especially if any prior compliance issue has.been noted will find they get their headgear wired in so it cant be taken out and this remains in place for usually 6 mounts until its unwired but one in 5 wired patients will have it for the next 2 years until headgear treatment is done. Also the patient doesn't get told about headgear until its been fitted in. wired patients dont know they are wired until they try to remove it and find its stuck in place Also double headgear is quite normal especially if no other appliances are fitted and often patients get high pull and lower pull together with big bulky straps. Also failure to wear headgear for required time for non wired patients means automatic wireing in next visit and will usually remain wired in until headgear treatment is is done.
Over the nexr 2 years the treatment continues with visits every 3 mounths if a patient was prescribed glasses at the start they have now almost certianly become fully dependent on them and prescriptions of +/- 5 or more are normal. Also even if glasses or hearing aids wernt originally prescribed they can and often will have been by this stage as any level of need for means instant fitting and required wear but sometimes if a patient is super dificult with the ortadontic side of the clinic they are given them as a punishment. Also glasses.lenses are all lowest possible index so they often are noticeably thick
On the orthodontic side appliances are continualy adjusted changed and checked. compliance with elastics and headgear continues to be monitored. By this stage the patient. Has a 99 percent chance of power chains. And once fitted to the braces they remain until end of treatment.
Once the patient gets to the 3 year mark a review is done. Often apliances and back brackets if fitted are removed At this stage. However for at least the next year the patient will remain in standerd braces with power chains and some elastics.
On a posetive side though patients with glasses and hearing aids that have been compliant get the option for nicer frames and thiner glasees. or maybe even conracts as some patients now have very thick heavy double digit strength glasses. Also if a patient has a bi.focal they can get progressives instead of lined ones. If the patient has hearing aids they get smaller less bulky ones that blend in and fit inside like headphones rather than the large bulky ones that are cliped to their glasses or around the ears.
After the 4 year point is reached some patients get their braces removed and complete treatment. However if results are not satisfactory fixed aplliances and other extras are often re added and treatment continues for up to another 2 sometimes 3 years.
Once treatment is complete retainers are issued and often fixed in Also patients continue to get vision and hearing checks. However prescriptions are not increased unless needed. 9/10 patients have glasses by this stage. And half are at least +/- 8 or more.
Im writeing a story based on this.
