Your First Orthodontic Visit: How Braces or Invisalign Plan Is Created

A good number of folks come to that first visit feeling pretty jittery. Totally normal. We get it. You’re not sure what we’ll poke at, or whether anything will hurt. Nothing does. It’s honestly one of the easier visits we have, and by the end you’ll know exactly where you stand.

Picking an orthodontist in Littleton, CO? This first visit is where it all begins. We sit down with you, take a careful look at your teeth and jaw, and sketch out a route to a straighter, healthier smile that works with the life you’re already living.

Here’s how we turn one consultation into a plan made just for you. 

Your First Visit Starts With a Conversation

We start with a conversation. No tools yet. Dr. Thomas (Tom) Berchtold and our team at Summit Family Orthodontics want to know what’s bugging you. Crowding? A bite that feels off? The cost? Maybe all three, and that’s fine. No two smiles are alike, so one-size-fits-all treatment just isn’t how we work. Never has been.

You talk, we listen. It sounds small, but it matters a lot. With an orthodontist in Littleton, CO who actually knows your name and what’s worrying you, you feel heard, and every call about your care stays yours. Nobody here gets pushed into anything. 

Comfortable Digital Scans for Accurate Orthodontic Treatment 

Remember those trays full of sticky putty? Nobody misses them. We use the iTero digital scanner instead, and it captures every angle of your mouth in just a few minutes.

A good orthodontist near you should make this part easy, and with this scanner it really is. You won’t gag, and you won’t leave with putty stuck to your fingers.

Here’s what we gather:

● A 3D model of your teeth that pops up on screen right away, so you see what we see.

● Low-radiation digital X-rays that show root position and parts of the jaw we couldn’t check otherwise.

● Photos from an intraoral camera, so we can follow your progress from the first day right up to the big reveal.

All of it lets us spot hidden problems early. Your plan ends up resting on real information, not guesswork. 

Lightforce Braces or Platinum Invisalign?

Two good options. Different roads, same destination.

Lightforce braces use 3D-printed brackets shaped to fit each tooth. What that means in real life: treatment runs more efficiently, you need fewer emergency wire fixes, and the whole thing goes smoother. Fewer surprise trips in, basically.

Prefer something nearly invisible? We’re a Platinum Invisalign Provider. Your clear aligners come out when you eat your favorite foods, and you brush just like always. No fuss, no list of banned snacks.

We’ll tell you honestly which one suits your routine and gets you the best result fastest. Any orthodontist near you ought to give advice that isn’t tilted toward one product, and we work hard to do exactly that. Some people walk in sure they want Invisalign and leave happy with braces. Others flip the other way. Both are fine. 

Air Polishing Keeps Your Enamel Safe

Brackets make cleaning a pain. Plaque loves camping out around them, and if it stays too long, you might get white spots on your teeth or gums that puff up and ache. Not the souvenir anyone wants from treatment.

So here’s what we do differently:

● Air polishing and a professional cleaning come free at every single orthodontic visit.

● Gentle streams of air and water clear away stubborn plaque without bothering delicate gum tissue.

● Our approach has brought scarring rates down from over 50% to under 10%.

By the time treatment ends, your teeth look as healthy as they are straight. Keeping up regular visits with an orthodontist near you makes that routine easy to stick with, even when your month gets crazy. 

Affordable Orthodontic Treatment With Transparent Pricing

Let’s talk about money, because we know you’re wondering. Complete orthodontic care is $4,500. That’s well below what many practices around here charge, and there are no hidden fees. Not one. Surprise bills can spoil a great smile project faster than anything, and we’d rather not do that to you.

Everything in your treatment plan, right from all diagnostic records to retainers, is included in your treatment cost. Your payments could start as low as $250 per month.

Curious what getting started looks like? Ask us about a complimentary consultation at Summit Family Orthodontics. We’d love to meet you, and the whole thing is much easier than you’ve probably imagined.

Whether you’ve wondered about braces for years or only just started, an orthodontist in Littleton, CO can walk you through every step, one friendly conversation at a time.