Orthodontics

We will be sent a referral letter from either your dentist, doctor or other health professional. When we get the letter we will then send you an appointment in the post to come and meet with one of our Consultant Orthodontists.

Your appointment may be at either our Burnley or Blackburn sites. At both, parking can be difficult so please ensure you leave plenty of time to get to our department. To find out details of where we are and for directions please click here.

On arrival you will need to check in at our reception desk and you will be asked to take a seat in our waiting area. Whilst there we may ask you to fill in some details about your medical history, so if you are on any medications please bring the list with you.

You will then be seen by one of our Orthodontic clinicians and a nurse. At this first appointment it will feel much like a check-up at the dentist. We will ask you about any concerns you have about your teeth and jaws and explore what you hope to get out of any treatment. We will then examine your teeth, jaws and face and take some measurements. Sometimes we require some X-rays to help us decide what treatment options may be possible. These are usually completed on the day of your first appointment.

The appointments usually last about 20 minutes, although if X-rays are required then this may take longer. As with all hospital new patient clinics we will be busy and whilst we do our utmost to run on time we do sometimes run late.

Once we have the information required we will then discuss with you what treatments may be possible and where that treatment is best carried out. It is important that you fully understand all that we say to you and as a result we encourage you to ask questions if you have them.

Following this appointment you will either:

• Be discharged back to your own dentist.
• Be referred on to another orthodontic provider in the region for treatment.
• Be given a further appointment in our department to plan your treatment in more detail.

Orthodontic (brace) treatment involves a lot of planning to ensure we are doing the best treatment to give you the best result at the end.

The first thing that we have to ensure is that you are looking after your teeth in the best possible way. If we feel that this is not the case then we may need to see you to help you with your tooth brushing before starting any treatment.

Once your tooth brushing is good we will then need to plan your treatment in greater detail. This usually involves taking a set of records. These records include:

• X-rays of your teeth and jaws.
• Models of your teeth which involve taking impressions of your teeth and sending them to be cast in our specialist laboratory.
• Photographs of your teeth and face.

Depending on the nature of your complaint these models will then be used either directly by your clinician to plan your treatment or you will be booked back to see other members of our team that can help with your individual concern.

Often there is more than one option and once we have gathered all the required information and records we will then meet with you to discuss the potential options prior to placing any braces.

To find out more about the types of braces and treatments we do in the department look at the documents below.

Oral Maxillofacial Clinic

Level 2

Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital

Orthodontic/Oral Surgery Department

Burnley General Teaching Hospital

This option is suitable for patients when the underlying cause of the bite is not just to do with the position of the teeth but due to the position of the jaws. If the problem lies with the positions of the jaws themselves then the only way to fully correct the problem is to carry out surgical procedures to move the position of the jaws.

To find out more click here.

Orthodontic (brace) treatment involves a lot of planning to ensure we are doing the best treatment to give you the best result at the end.

The first thing that we have to ensure is that you are looking after your teeth in the best possible way. If we feel that this is not the case then we may need to see you to help you with your tooth brushing before starting any treatment.

Once your tooth brushing is good we will then need to plan your treatment in greater detail. This usually involves taking a set of records. These records include:

• X-rays of your teeth and jaws.
• Models of your teeth which involve taking impressions of your teeth and sending them to be cast in our specialist laboratory.
• Photographs of your teeth and face.

Depending on the nature of your complaint these models will then be used either directly by your clinician to plan your treatment or you will be booked back to see other members of our team that can help with your individual concern.

Often there is more than one option and once we have gathered all the required information and records we will then meet with you to discuss the potential options prior to placing any braces.

To find out more about the types of braces and treatments we do in the department loo at the documents to the right of this page: