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Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that specialises in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities.

An orthodontist is a registered dental specialist who has completed an advanced education program following dental school to learn the special skills required to manage tooth movement and guide facial development.

• A more attractive smile
• Reduced appearance-consciousness during critical development years
• Better function of the teeth
• Possible increase in self-confidence
• Increased ability to clean the teeth
• Improved force distribution & wear patterns of the teeth
• Better long-term health of teeth & gums
• Guide permanent teeth into more favourable positions
• Reduce the risk of injury to protruded front teeth
• Aid in optimising other dental treatment

• Upper front teeth protrude excessively over the lower teeth (buck teeth)
• Upper front teeth cover the majority of the lower teeth when biting together (deep bite)
• Upper front teeth are behind or inside the lower front teeth (underbite)
• The upper & lower front teeth do not touch when biting together (open bite)
• Crowded or overlapped teeth
• The centre of the upper & lower teeth do not line up
• Finger or thumb-sucking habits which continue after 6 or 7 years old
• Difficulty chewing
• Teeth wearing unevenly or excessively
• The lower jaw shifts to one side or the other when biting together
• Spaces between the teeth
• Missing teeth from heredity or trauma

Orthodontic treatment can be started at any age. Many orthodontic problems are easier to correct if detected at an early age before jaw growth has slowed. Early treatment may mean that a patient can avoid surgery and more serious complications. The Australian Society of Orthodontists recommends that every child first visit an orthodontist by age 7 or earlier if a problem is detected by parents, the family dentist, or the child's medical doctor.

Early interceptive treatment is undertaken well before all of the permanent teeth have erupted. Such treatment can occur between the ages of 6 and 10, and will often include use of expanders, removable appliances, functional appliances or partial braces. This treatment is often recommended to make more space for developing teeth, correction of severe skeletal discrepancies, crossbites, overbites, and underbites or harmful oral habits.

Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age. Everyone wants a beautiful and healthy smile. Over 20% of our orthodontic patients today are adults, some well on the smiling side of 50.

Braces and Invisalign use steady gentle pressure to gradually move teeth into their proper positions.

For braces, the brackets that are placed on your teeth and the archwire that connects them are the main components. When the archwire is placed into the brackets, it tries to return to its original shape. As it does so, it applies pressure to move your teeth to their new, more ideal positions.

Yes, you can play contact sports, but you must ask us for a mouthguard.

No. However, there may be an initial period of adjustment. In addition, brace covers or different wax can be provided to prevent any continuing discomfort.

Wearing braces is simple and generally quite easy with the modern devices available. However, braces do need to be regularly adjusted, and this will make the teeth feel tender for a few days. During this short period, a mild painkiller may be needed. A drug-free solution is to chew sugar-free gum, as this will relieve the cramping sensation in the teeth and gums without the need for a painkiller. The fitting of braces is generally painless. Discomfort usually occurs several hours after placement of the appliances and similarly after adjustments.

We are sensitive to the financial pressures on families today, so for your convenience, we provide a payment plan for your orthodontic care. An initial deposit is paid when the appliances are fitted, and the balance is paid in interest-free monthly instalments for the duration of the treatment. Payment can be made by Mastercard, Visa, cheque, cash, electronic funds transfer and direct debit.

No. You can arrange a consultation without your dentist's referral however, we will ask you to see your dentist for a check-up prior to any treatment. If you do not have a dentist, we will happily provide you with some convenient options. We have a large number of well-respected and caring colleagues in all local communities we service who can look after your general dental needs.

The care of your braces will be fully explained when they are placed. You'll get a full run-down on cleaning, things to avoid eating (to prevent damage to the teeth and appliances) and how to keep and get yourself out of trouble.

Most full brace treatments take an average 15 months. There are mild cases that complete in under 6 months, a few severe cases in excess of 18 months. If it takes a really long time, there could be cooperation issues like not wearing your elastics.

No two orthodontic problems are the same and the cost of orthodontic treatment will depend on the severity of the problem and the treatment required. Many orthodontic problems require only simple treatment and you might find that the cost is lower than you thought. Costs will be discussed in full at your initial consultation. The fee that we quote covers all aspects of your orthodontic treatment and the majority of patients pay this fee in instalments over the duration of the treatment to make the cost more manageable. A discounted fee is available if you prefer to pay for your whole treatment when you start.

Definitely! It is very important to continue your regular dental check-ups to prevent and detect dental decay and to monitor your overall oral health.

Health funds repay some of the cost of orthodontic treatment for fund members who have the appropriate level of dental insurance. Please carefully check the premiums, conditions and level or rebate to see whether you will be better off with insurance or not.

There is an ATO 20% tax rebate for a minimum indexed out of pocket medical and dental expenses. Our friendly staff or your taxation adviser can advise on how to maximise this assistance from the ATO.

The fee covers the entire treatment, including fitting of braces or other orthodontic appliance, periodic adjustments, removal of the braces or appliance, 1 set of retainers (if needed) and the retention and observation periods thereafter for a minimum period of 2 years. The fee does not cover such items as ancillary treatment that may be required before, during or after orthodontic treatment such as surgery and check-ups with your dentist.

Braces are available in clear ceramic or polycarbonate and metal. There are hundreds of different brace types on the market. You will be fitted with what we feel are the best brace available. We have a preference for low profile, smaller brackets. We have also routinely used clear braces for the upper front teeth for the last 25 years, without charging an extra fee. Also, remember that we may choose a different brace to what's on your friend because it suits your condition better.

The Australian Orthodontic Society recommends initial orthodontic assessment around the age of 7 years when the permanent incisor teeth are erupting. The majority of children examined at this age will not require immediate treatment, perhaps never. However early assessment helps detect problems that can benefit from early intervention.

We share your concern about missing work, and we make every effort to ensure that all patients receive a fair share of convenient appointments. In Bundaberg, we schedule longer appointments between 9am and 3pm and shorter appointments before and after school. Once treatment commences, the majority of your appointments will fall in the short category. If you are travelling more than an hour for your appointment, some special consideration will be made for your convenience, and please advise our friendly staff of your special travel requirements. For the Hervey Bay and Maryborough branches, all appointments are rotated during various times of the day.

There are plenty of reasons to get braces. The most important is that treatment is faster and better when completed on a young and growing patient. Other factors include everyone you know has braces at your age so it's easier to be one of the crowd rather than dealing with it when you are older; your teeth usually get more crowded with age so if you think it's minor now, things will probably worsen; when you are young your parents normally pay for it—they may not be as generous when you are older!

Early treatment is only indicated where there is demonstrable benefit in intercepting a developing problem; that is the condition would worsen without intervention to the point where future treatment was compromised. An example of this would be an extreme bite problem which is amenable to corrective treatment at an early age but potentially difficult or impossible to treat when older.

No, braces should not interfere with the way you speak or the sound of your voice. Certain appliances have a minor effect on your voice, however the tongue gets conditioned to these appliances quickly and speech nearly always returns to normal after a few days.

Modern orthodontics in conjunction with treatment at an appropriate age has reduced the need for extractions in the majority of cases—even with adults. There are cases where crowding, the position of the teeth in the face or the bite dictate the need to extract teeth, however these are very much the minority. Dr Saxby has a demonstrated preference for not extracting teeth unless required to produce a better aesthetic and functional result for you.