What to Expect

Arranging the Initial Consultation

A referral from your family dentist is not required.
Upon calling our office at (403) 202-4070, our scheduling coordinator will collect some basic personal information about you and/or your child.
Our office is located at Crowfoot Business Centre – Unit 500, 400 Crowfoot Cr NW. This is a five-story office building with parking at the front.

Initial Consultation (no fee)

The initial consultation will take approximately one hour and will include some time spent with our treatment coordinator and some time with Dr. Rix.
Photographs will be taken of you or your child.
A CBCT scan may be taken of you or your child depending on what radiographs are available from your family dentist.
A short video will be taken of you or your child to assist in diagnosing orofacial myofunctional disorders. Drinking water, eating a cracker or bite of apple and some word sounds will be captured on this video.
Dr. Rix will spend approximately 10 to 15 minutes with you or your child performing the direct orthodontic assessment and reviewing the other information with you.
You will receive a brief summary of the orthodontic condition and the treatment recommended along with an approximate fee for treatment.
A treatment coordinator will be with you for the entire consultation appointment and is able to explain all aspects of treatment that Dr. Rix has recommended.
The decision to proceed with treatment is not usually done at this appointment. You are encouraged to take the information home and review it carefully.
You are welcome to call or email us to ask more questions about the proposed treatment for you or your child.

Diagnostic Records

Should you be interested in investigating treatment in Dr. Rix’s office in more detail, the next step is to have diagnostic records obtained that will enable Dr. Rix to perform a more detailed diagnosis and treatment plan.
Diagnostic records consist of the health and development history forms, photographs, the video from the initial consultation, and a 3D radiograph.
If all of these were obtained during the initial consultation and are sufficiently current, no further records are required.
There is a fee for these diagnostic records.

Case Presentation

Approximately one to two weeks after the diagnostic records are obtained, the case presentation takes place.
The case presentation is a meeting to review the detailed diagnosis and treatment plan that Dr. Rix has prepared for you and/or your child.
This meeting is with Dr. Rix’s treatment coordinator and will take approximately 30 minutes. Dr. Rix will be available if there are any unusual findings or specific questions that you feel need further explanation.
Your decision regarding proceeding with treatment for you or your child can be made at this case presentation or you can wait to consider your decision at your convenience.

Starting an Expander

There is a series of three appointments to start an expander.

Placing Separators:

The first appointment takes approximately 15 minutes and involves placing separators between the upper first primary molars and the first permanent molars.
A separator is a small donut shaped elastic that stretches quite thin when placed and gradually returns to a thicker shape that pushes the teeth apart slightly so that bands can be fit on the teeth during the next appointment.
The separators usually go into place very easily with only minor discomfort.
Approximately 4 hours after the separators have been placed, some discomfort will be experienced that will likely last for approximately two days.
Normally this discomfort is quite minor but it can still make it necessary to eat soft foods for a couple of days.
Occasionally some pain medication such as Advil is required to make the discomfort more tolerable.

Fitting Bands and Taking Impression:

This appointment takes place approximately a week after the initial placement of the separators.
The separators are removed.
Metal orthodontic bands are fit on the right and left upper first molars.
An impression is taken of the upper teeth with the bands in place.
The separators are replaced in the same position as initially placed. There is generally no discomfort with the separators this time.

Placing the Expander:

This appointment takes place approximately one week after the previous appointment.
The separators are now removed.
The teeth are polished clean to improve the effectiveness of the glue to hold the expander in place.
The expander is checked for proper fit and then glued into place. It is not removable.
You will be instructed on how to activate the expander for your child. Some teens prefer to activate their expander on their own. This involves using the activation tool we provide to you to turn the expander screw once daily. You will be given a schedule indicating how many turns are required.
The daily turn results in ¼ mm expansion of the upper jaw per day.
Typically 6 to 8 mm expansion are prescribed, which corresponds to 24 to 32 turns in total.
There is usually some discomfort during the first two to three days that could require some pain medication such as Advil. The remaining activations of the expander usually do not cause discomfort.
A gap of up to 5mm in width between the upper centre teeth can occur. This gap will gradually close on it’s own over the next few weeks.
The expander will remain in place for approximately two months after the activation is done in order for the bone in the upper jaw to re-establish at the suture at the centre of the upper jaw where the expansion takes place.
It takes a few days to get used to the expander and eating feels quite normal again.
It is not possible to have the tongue in the correct rest posture or to have a correct swallow while the expander is in place so correction of a myofunctional disorder cannot proceed very well during this time.

Starting Braces

Most braces at Rix Orthodontics are attached to the teeth with a technique called indirect bonding.
There are two visits for indirect bonding of braces that are approximately one to two weeks apart.
The first visit is to take impressions of the teeth to make models for the braces setup to be done. This visit takes approximately 20 minutes.
Dr. Rix sets the braces up on the models in the exact positions that he wants. An orthodontic lab technician then makes indirect bonding trays from this setup that allows accurate bonding of the braces to the teeth.
The braces are bonded to the teeth approximately one to two weeks after the impressions are done. The braces are bonded in place by one of Dr. Rix’s registered dental assistants (RDAs) in an appointment that takes approximately 90 minutes.
The steps for bonding the braces in place include:
- Polishing the teeth (similar to the polishing you have done at a regular cleaning at your family dentist).
- Conditioning the teeth with a mild acidic gel.
- Rinsing the teeth with water.
- Drying the teeth with air.
- Applying a bonding adhesive to the teeth and braces.
- Placing the braces on the teeth with the indirect bonding tray.
- Curing the adhesive by shining a curing light to the braces.
- Removing the indirect bonding tray(s).
- Attaching an archwire to the braces.
- Providing instructions regarding oral hygiene and care of the braces.
Sometimes braces will be placed directly instead of by indirect bonding. Most steps are the same except the brackets are placed individually to each tooth directly instead of all together with an indirect bonding tray and Dr. Rix finalizes the position of each bracket.
You may be offered a Propel VPRO5, an accelerated orthodontic appliance, to be worn 5 minutes a day that can speed up treatment and reduce discomfort normally associated with braces.

Starting Clear Aligners (Invisalign or SureSmile)

You will brush and floss your teeth in preparation for the intraoral scan.
A 3D scan of the teeth is done in a 30 minute appointment. This scan is based on laser light imaging technology and does not involve radiographic exposure.
This scan is sent to Invisalign (or other clear aligner provider) for processing according to Dr. Rix’s prescription.
Approximately 5 weeks later, the clear aligners are received and treatment can start.
The appointment for starting clear aligner treatment takes approximately 60 minutes.
The teeth are polished and some small tooth coloured bumps (attachments) are glued to the teeth that help the clear aligners stay on the teeth more effectively.
The first aligners are inserted and instructions are given regarding wear and care of the aligners.
You may be offered a Propel VPRO5, an accelerated orthodontic appliance, to be worn for 5 minutes a day that can speed up treatment and reduce discomfort normally experienced with clear aligner treatment.

Starting Myobrace

Myobrace treatment starts with a 45 minute appointment where the correct Myobrace model and size is confirmed and adjustments made as necessary for fit and comfort.
Instructions regarding wear and care of the Myobrace are given.
The first exercises associated with the Myobrace treatment are assigned and demonstrated.

Starting a Tooth Positioner

You will brush and floss your teeth in preparation for the intraoral scan.
A 3D scan of the teeth is done in a 30 minute appointment. This scan is based on laser light imaging technology and does not involve radiographic exposure.
This scan is sent to the laboratory for processing according to Dr. Rix’s prescription.
Approximately 4 weeks later, the tooth positioner is received and treatment can start.
The appointment for starting tooth positioner treatment takes approximately 20 minutes.
The tooth positioner is inserted and instructions are given regarding wear and care of the tooth positioner.

Starting a Carriere Motion Appliance (CMA)

A CMA is done in conjunction with an essix retainer with buttons or with a holding arch.
CMA with an essix retainer.
Two appointments are required for starting the CMA with an essix retainer.
Impressions will be taken of your upper and lower teeth.
An essix retainer is made for the opposite arch from where the CMA will be bonded.
A CMA is fit on the model of the other arch.
Approximately a week after the impressions are taken there will be an appointment for starting the CMA which takes approximately 60 minutes.
A bracket with a hook for attaching elastics will be bonded to the cheek side of the first molars on the arch that will have the essix retainer.
The essix retainer will be checked for fit and adjusted to accommodate the buttons.
The CMA will be bonded to the side teeth on the other arch.
Instructions will be given on how to attach the elastics and frequency of elastic wear.

CMA with a holding arch.

Three appointments are required to start a CMA with a holding arch.
Separators will be placed between the first molars and the second premolars (or second primary molars) on the arch that will have a holding arch.
Approximately a week later stainless steel orthodontic bands will be fit on the first molars and an impression will be taken for fabrication of the holding arch.
The bands will be removed and the separators will be replaced.
Approximately a week later the holding arch will be placed.
The CMA will be bonded to the side teeth in the opposing arch.
Instructions will be given on how to attach the elastics and on the frequency of wear.