Reviewed by Dr. Benjamin Wright, board-certified orthodontist
The first appointment answers three questions: whether treatment is needed, what it would involve, and what it would cost. It is complimentary, it takes about an hour, and you leave with a plan rather than a sales pitch. No referral is required, so you can call 410-544-0072 and book it yourself.
What Happens While You Are Here
You will meet the team and see the office first. Then Dr. Benjamin Wright, a board-certified orthodontist, carries out a full examination, including the X-rays and photographs needed to see what is happening below the surface as well as above it. We go through your dental and medical history together.
After the exam, we talk. Dr. Wright will tell you what he sees, whether treatment is needed now, and which approaches would work for your case. Options get compared honestly, including their trade-offs, and you are welcome to ask as many questions as you like. Our team then walks through fees, insurance, and payment plans, which start at $125 a month with no interest. Our cost, insurance, and financing page covers that side in full.
By the time you leave, you should know four things: whether treatment is needed, when it should start, roughly how long it would take, and what it would cost. If any of those is still unclear when we finish, ask before you go. Nobody is going to push you toward a decision in the chair, and there is no charge for thinking it over.
Sometimes the right answer is to wait. Children in particular are often best served by monitoring growth for a year or two before anything begins. If that is your case, we will say so plainly and arrange to see your child again at intervals so we catch the right moment.
What Happens Next
If you decide to go ahead, we schedule the appointment where your appliance is placed. That visit runs about an hour, and it is a comfortable one; nothing about it hurts.
From there, adjustment visits come every four to eight weeks. They are short. Tell us which days and times work around school or work and we will build your schedule around them. Life happens, so if you are running late or need to move an appointment, call us and we will do what we can.
Keep seeing your family dentist every six months for cleanings and checkups throughout your treatment. Braces make thorough cleaning more important, not less. If you need additional dental work along the way, we coordinate directly with your dentist so the two plans fit together.
Frequently Asked Questions About Your First Visit
Learn what to expect during your first orthodontic appointment, including your examination, diagnostic records, treatment recommendations, and financing options.
Do I need a referral to see an orthodontist?
No. Orthodontists are dental specialists you can go to directly, and most of our patients call us themselves. Some dentists refer, which is helpful but not required. The only exception is an insurance plan that specifically requires a referral for coverage, so check your own policy if you are unsure.
How long does the first visit take?
About an hour. That covers the examination, X-rays and photographs, a discussion of the findings and the options, and the financial conversation. We do not rush it, because the questions people think of halfway through are usually the important ones.
Will I get braces at the first appointment?
No. The first visit is for examination and planning. Appliances go on at a later appointment, once the plan is agreed and any records we need are complete. That second visit takes about an hour.
What should I bring?
Your insurance information, a list of any medications, and the name of your family dentist. If another dentist or orthodontist has taken X-rays of your teeth recently, bring those too, since we may be able to use them instead of repeating anything.
Schedule your Complimentary Consultation
Call 410-544-0072 or request an appointment online. Wright Orthodontics is at 479 Jumpers Hole Road, Suite #203, Severna Park, MD 21146, a quarter mile from Severna Park Middle School and a block off Ritchie Highway. Current office hours, directions, and parking are on our Severna Park office page.
We see patients from Severna Park, Millersville, Crownsville, Arnold, Severn, and Pasadena. We also serve Cape St. Claire.