Patient Resources

Your First Visit

Our priority is to give you the healthy, straight, beautiful smile you’ve always wanted. We understand that choosing to receive orthodontic care is a big decision, and we respect your reasons for wanting to improve the way you look and feel.

Our practice will work with you every step of the way to make sure your orthodontic care is as rewarding as possible. We always utilize the latest orthodontic technology, and offers a variety of safe and gentle treatment options to give you the customized, individual care you deserve.

Your initial consultation will give you the opportunity to meet our team, learn more about orthodontics, receive a complete initial exam, and find out which treatment options will best meet your needs.

During your initial consultation, we will:

• Review your dental and medical history forms
• Perform a complete oral exam, with X-rays, to determine whether treatment is necessary
• Help you create a customized treatment plan
• Discuss all financial information, insurance options, and payment plans

Our team will be glad to answer any questions you may have, and we will provide all the information you need to determine which orthodontic treatment is right for you. Please contact our practice to request your initial consultation.

After your initial consultation, you’re one step closer to achieving the smile you’ve always wanted! We will schedule your first appointment and Dr. Ely will place your new orthodontic appliance. This appointment generally takes about an hour, and during this time our team will be available to make sure you are as comfortable as possible.

Patient Forms

To make your visit more convenient, please take a minute to print and fill out the patient information form before your first appointment.

Financial Info

The cost of your orthodontic treatment will vary, depending on your individual needs and treatment plan. Our staff will discuss the cost of your treatment and each available payment plan option with you, so you can make the best choice for you and your smile. We will work with you to create a payment plan that fits your budget, and you will know what to expect before beginning treatment.

Your smile is yours forever, and we want to make it as easy as possible for you to receive the best orthodontic care whenever you need it. For your convenience, our practice accepts Visa, Mastercard, and checks as payment options.

If you have insurance that covers any portion of your orthodontic treatment, our office team is always available to help you with insurance claims and paperwork.

Retainer Instructions

At Orthodontics of the Lehigh Valley, we believe that your smile’s journey doesn’t end when the braces come off. In fact, that moment marks the beginning of an equally crucial phase — ensuring your smile stays aligned and beautiful for years to come. This is where your retainer becomes your smile’s best friend.

After the active orthodontic treatment phase, your teeth have a natural tendency to shift back towards their original positions — a process we all know as relapse. This is where retainers play an indispensable role. They are custom-made to hold your teeth in their new, correct positions while the bones and gums adjust to these changes. Think of your retainer as the guardian of your perfected smile.

To reap the full benefits of your retainer and protect your orthodontic investment, it’s essential to follow a few simple but impactful care practices:

• Wear your retainer at all times, until the doctor instructs otherwise.
• Take your retainer out when eating, and always put it back in its case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunchrooms or restaurants.)
• Clean the retainer thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water. Brushing retainers removes the plaque, and eliminates odors. Efferdent or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used but do not take the place of brushing.
• When your retainer is not in your mouth, it should ALWAYS be in its case. Pets love to chew on them!
• Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to it faster.
• Retainers are breakable, so treat yours with care. If your retainer gets lost or broken, call us immediately.
• If you have any questions or concerns about your retainer, or you believe it needs adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust it yourself.
• Always bring your retainer to your appointments.
• Retainer replacements are expensive, but with proper care they will last for years!
• Remove your retainer when you go swimming.
• Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins.

At Orthodontics of the Lehigh Valley, we’re committed to your lifelong smile satisfaction. Your retainer is a key component in preserving the beauty and health of your smile post-treatment. By understanding its importance and taking proper care of it, you’re ensuring that your smile remains as vibrant and straight as the day your braces or aligners were removed.

Should you have any questions about your retainer or need additional guidance, our team is always here to support you.

Emergency Care

True orthodontic emergencies are rare, but when they occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can’t take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to solve many problems yourself temporarily until you can get to our office. If there is a loose piece that you can remove, put it in a plastic bag or envelope and bring it with you to your next appointment. If your braces are poking you, put soft wax on the piece that’s sticking out. If the wire has slid to one side, you can pull it back to the other side with needle-nosed pliers, replacing it in the tube on the back tooth.

After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions to your treatment plan.

• General Soreness — When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth, and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. Stick to a soft diet until your teeth do not hurt to chew. Irritated gums and other sore spots can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt-water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in eight ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) and Naproxen Sodium (Naprosyn, Anaprox) actually slow the tooth movement, so it is not advisable to use them frequently while wearing braces.
• General Irritation — The lips, cheeks, and tongue may become irritated for one to two weeks as they learn a new posture and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We’ll show you how!
• Headgear — Sometimes discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow (metal piece) is bent, please call our office for assistance. The headgear should hurt less the more it’s worn, so be sure you get in the prescribed number of hours.
• Loose Appliance — If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part.
• Loose Bracket — If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it if needed for comfort. If the bracket or band can be removed easily, place it in an envelope and save it to bring to your next appointment.
• Loose Wire — Using a pair of tweezers or needle-nosed pliers, try to put your wire back into place. It is okay to use a piece of floss to tie the wire into place: tie the floss around the bracket in place of the missing colored o-ring. If you cannot put the wire into a comfortable position, and covering the end with wax doesn’t help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If the end of the wire is still sharp place wax on it.
• Poking Wire — Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.