What's different about your office? Does Dr. Edmonds work in more than one office? Isn't my child too young for braces? Aren't I too old? How much will a screening appointment cost? How much do braces cost? Does Dr. Edmonds take insurance and can he finance the rest? Does Dr. Edmonds offer before and after-school appointments? How frequent are appointments and how long does an entire treatment take? How long are appointments? Does Dr. Edmonds run on-time? What is the difference between Phase I and Phase II treatment? Does Dr. Edmonds use headgear or require that we have teeth pulled? Do braces hurt? Does Dr. Edmonds recycle his brackets? What type of infection control do you practice? When can we get started? Where can I find more information about orthodontics? Q:  What's different about your office? A:  The first thing you will notice about our practice is how easy it is to find a parking space. This is a real treat if you have ever had to search for a space or walk a long distance at other offices. Dr. Edmonds' attention to detail becomes apparent as you enter the building. He designed the floor plan to facilitate the flow of patients and maximize efficiency. Our Appointment and Treatment Coordinators greet you as soon as you walk in the door as you proceed to our convenient patient sign-in computer. During your first appointment, you will notice that everything else in the office is computerized too, including our pictures, x-rays, and diagnosis. Our computerized scheduling keeps us running right on-time. As you proceed to the treatment clinic, you will see the on-deck seating and brushing area so you can brush your teeth before being seated in the clinic. Immediately adjacent to the brushing area is the x-ray, imaging, and impression area for obtaining the diagnostic records needed by the doctor. Having this equipment on-site will save you the time and trouble of having to drive across town to a third-party records laboratory. Our main clinic is the heart of our practice. Here you will be treated to open, cheerful surroundings and a great view of our beautiful, award-winning garden as it has been honored by Beautification Topeka. Chair-side seating is available so that your family can be present to see what is done and hear how your treatment is progressing. We encourage family to come back and ask questions. Unique to our office is that Dr. Edmonds personally places all fixed orthodontic appliances and sees every patient at each adjustment visit. Many offices delegate these procedures to auxiliary personnel. Dr. Edmonds feels this is necessary in order to keep your treatment on track and reduce treatment time. Dr. Edmonds even has an emergency line and can be reached in case of after-hour or weekend emergencies. Q:   Does Dr. Edmonds work in more than one office? A:  Many orthodontists work out of two or three offices. We have only one, so patients never have to wonder where we are. We see patients in our SW Topeka office Monday through Thursday and the office is open until noon on Fridays. Q:  Isn't my child too young for braces? Aren't I too old? A:  While the majority of our patients are adolescents, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that all children be screened by an orthodontist by the time they are age 7. This is a good age because the permanent first molars and central incisors should be in place by then. Once in, these teeth provide enough information to diagnose the majority of orthodontic problems. Although we may recognize the problems exist, two-phased treatments are usually reserved for children with anterior or posterior crossbites, extreme crowding, severe overjet, or those experiencing social problems due to their appearance. On the other end of the spectrum, no patient is too old to improve his or her smile. We have several patients in their sixties who are enjoying the benefits of orthodontic treatment. Q:  How much will a screening appointment cost? A:  There is no fee for an orthodontic screening consultation appointment in our office. New patients walk away from their first appointment knowing their orthodontic problems, how they can be fixed, how long treatment will take, how much it will cost, and the best time to begin. Referring dentists also receive this information in a summary letter within a day or two of the screening. Q:  How much do braces cost? Orthodontic fees are determined by the complexity of the case. Fees in our office range from $150 for a simple retainer to almost $6000 for complex adult surgical cases. Most full-treatment fees for adolescents are in the $3000 to $6300 range. Interceptive (Phase I) procedures generally fall between $350 and $3800. When comparing orthodontic fees, patients should ask about separate record and retainer fees. Our "bundled" fees include all records and retainers, since successful treatment results cannot be achieved without both. Q:  Does Dr. Edmonds take insurance and can he finance the rest? A:  Our practice offers the most flexible payment plans available to patients with good credit. We accept almost all insurance plans and allow payments to be made by cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, automatic fund transfers, or online payments. Many patients also choose to pay in full at the start of treatment to take advantage of our generous 10% cash discount. Q:  Does Dr. Edmonds offer before and after-school appointments? A:  Patients are seen in the clinic between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM. (We break for lunch and do other office chores between 12:00 and 1:30). While our schedule is designed to maximize the number of before and after-school appointments available to our student patients, missing a little school is just part of having braces. Q:  How frequent are appointments and how long does an entire treatment take? A:  We have invested a lot in reducing the amount of time required for orthodontic treatment. New wire and bracket technology have allowed us to schedule many appointments 6 to 10 weeks apart rather than every 4 to 5 weeks while at the same time shortening total treatment length by 3 to 6 months. Treatment length varies between three months to three years depending upon the complexity of the initial problems (18 to 24 months is average for a teenager with typical problems). Q:  How long are appointments? Does Dr. Edmonds run on-time? A:  Most appointments last about twenty to thirty minutes, with the first and last few requiring a little longer. Our computerized doctor-time scheduling helps us to stay on-time and almost eliminates the need for patients to wait in the reception area. Q:  What is the difference between Phase I and Phase II treatment? A:  There are certain orthodontic problems that need to be corrected before all of the permanent teeth (excluding wisdom teeth) are in. Some examples include crossbites, severe crowding, extreme "overbites", developmental or social problems (name calling at school). Phase I interceptive treatment, if needed, usually begins between seven and nine years of age and usually lasts six months to 18 months. Phase II takes place when the remaining primary teeth are gone and the 12-year-molars are visible — this happens around age 13. There is usually a definite break between phases when retainers are worn and development monitored. Advantages of two-phased treatment include less extractions and surgery in Phase II, better development between phases, teeth are easier to clean and less likely to be chipped or broken, and the child's smile and self esteem are improved before they get into their teenage years. Disadvantages are that patients will have braces twice, the total treatment time will be a little longer, and the total cost will be between 25% and 50% higher than a single set of braces. We try to treat as many patients as possible in a single phase, but we recommend early interceptive treatment when it is appropriate. Q:  Does Dr. Edmonds use headgear or require that we have teeth pulled? A:  Our goal is to provide patients with the highest quality results possible. We use only the most up-to-date techniques, but have not ruled out the use of any particular appliance simply because it may be unpopular. The majority of our patients are treated non-extraction, but we do recommend that teeth be removed if doing so will provide a more esthetic, healthy, or stable outcome. We are trained in the use of all research proven techniques (functional appliances, extraction, "bite jumpers," headgear, surgery, etc.) and strive to use the most appropriate treatment for each individual patient. Q:  Do braces hurt? A:  Moving teeth makes them sore for a day or two after each adjustment. The times when you may experience discomfort are: after you get spacers, a new wire, new elastics, or a new appliance. Getting the braces glued to the teeth does not hurt at all. It usually takes several hours before you notice any discomfort. Q:  Does Dr. Edmonds recycle his brackets? A:  No, we never have and we never will. We want our patients to each have the most modern appliances available. Recycling yesterday's technology would be a step backwards in our state-of-the-art practice. The brackets and wires that we are using today weren't even available two years ago. The brackets and wires we will be using two years from now haven't even been invented yet. Q: What type of infection control do you practice? A:  We adhere to the procedures and standards recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). All of our instruments are sterilized with high heat, new gloves are used on every patient, and each chair and operatory are disinfected after each patient visit. Q: When can we get started? A:  Our facility and schedule allows us to schedule screening appointments within two weeks of an initial phone call. Our one-step initial visits have reduced the number of appointments necessary to get braces on from five down to two. If a patient is ready, braces will usually go on two to three weeks after their first visit. Q: Where can I find more information about orthodontics? A:  The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has a great FAQ page that answers general questions concerning all aspects of orthodontics. Please go to our Links page to access this site and other sites of interest. 2949 SW Wanamaker Dr. | Topeka, Kansas  66614-5325 Phone: (785) 272-6161 | Fax: (785) 272-4627 | Toll Free: 1-888-40 SMILE