An interview with Amy - Our treatment co-ordinator
What does a day at Raby Road look like?
Each day is quite busy, it’s a mixture of new consultations, treatment progression and following up with people who have been in for previous consultations making sure their treatment journey is going nice and smoothly. Dr Luke then focuses on actually treating the teeth and the smile makeovers.
What do you recommend people research first when looking into dental procedures?
I would definitely recommend researching the pros and cons of each treatment and the risks involved in terms of what you are looking for. For example, some patients come into their consultation looking for Emax veneers, but they don’t necessarily know the risks involved in that specific procedure. Or vice versa, people can be desperate to have bonding but haven’t taken into consideration their bite. Each treatment really depends case by case on what is the most suitable treatment plan! I would certainly recommend coming into your first consultation with an open mind, this means the team here at Raby Road can talk you through what your realistic options are, including the process, and price.
Can you explain a full consultation – online vs in person
Online consultations can be slightly vaguer as it's harder for me to gauge what the patient's teeth look like. In an in-person consultation, I start by taking all medical history, looking at all the past dental history and making sure there are no issues. I then take a 3D scan of the patient's teeth and we look through this together, talking through all the options for treatment. If Invisalign is something they are interested in I can then show them how Invisalign would work on their own teeth. I talk through each individual treatment in detail, including the process, the pros and cons, the cost, and finance options. All of the information given is then summarised in an individualised treatment plan.
What advice would you give to someone who is nervous about going to the dentist?
Particularly for first-time consultations, it will be the least ‘dental’ appointment you have ever had at a dentist! The consultations take place in our consultation room, there isn't even a dental chair in the room, meaning there is a really nice, chilled environment and introduction to treatment options available. It is a great way to meet the team without feeling like you are at a dental appointment. Even a few members of our team here at Raby Road aren’t the biggest fans of having dental treatments themselves, so we can all very much relate to how the patients are feeling. It is completely normal and understandable to feel nervous and the team are always happy to answer any questions the patient may have.
How long have you been at the practice?
I have been here for almost six years now. The time has absolutely flown by! I was an apprentice dental nurse for two years, and I was qualified for a year before I became a treatment coordinator. I have been in my current role for three years.
How has your Invisalign journey been? How are you finding it?
My main concerns with my teeth were the fact that I had braces when I was a teenager and was very naughty and didn’t wear my retainer. I was really unhappy with the fact that my lateral incisors sat higher than my central ones which resulted in a gap when my teeth were biting together. My two front teeth were really prominent and sat really far forward and gave me an overbite.
Dr Luke and I sat down to discuss my options and concluded that Invisalign was a really great, minimally invasive way to straighten my teeth. I have also decided to follow this treatment with tooth whitening. I have had my Invisalign since November of 2022 so almost 4 months now, I am just over halfway, and I have found it incredibly easy, and super simple to get used to. It hasn’t been invasive into my daily routine, and I forget I’m wearing the retainer half of the time!
A great thing about the treatment is that patients don’t often notice that I’m wearing the retainers, so when I then explain I am, it displays just how discreet they are!
What is the process of Invisalign like?
The process begins with a free consultation where I can show you what the Invisalign will look like on your own teeth and explain the process and price etc. we then conduct a full health assessment to make sure that everything is as it should be, looking at gum health, jawbone health and the roots of your teeth.
We then create a fully customised, step-by-step treatment plan, this is where you find out how many aligners you will need, how long the treatment will take, where we will need to place any attachments and if we need to make any extra room for the aligners. To make extra space we do not need to remove any teeth, Dr Luke will simply take a very small amount of tooth away from in-between certain teeth, the most that is ever removed is ½ a millimetre.
From here it takes about two-three weeks for your aligners to be manufactured as they come from the factory in America. You will then have an appointment with Dr Luke to have your first Invisalign fitting, we usually put some attachments on, and get you set up, so you are comfortable removing and inserting the aligners. You usually come back in 2 months for a check-up and 2-month intervals after this!
Get in touch with our team today via info@rabyroaddental.co.uk or call 0151 336 6844.