How to choose an orthodontist in Maple Ridge: seven questions worth asking

Maple Ridge has a specialist orthodontic practice or two and a larger number of general dental offices that offer braces and aligners. Choosing between them is easier if you ask the same questions everywhere. These are the seven we think matter, and we are happy to be asked them ourselves.

1. Are you a certified specialist in orthodontics?

A specialist has completed a two to three year university residency in orthodontics after dental school and is registered as a specialist with the College of Oral Health Professionals of BC. General dentists may provide orthodontics and some do it well; the question is simply about training and focus. You can verify specialist registration on the College's public register.

2. What exactly are we correcting?

"Straighter teeth" can mean aligning the front six teeth or correcting the whole bite. Both are legitimate; they are different treatments with different costs and outcomes. Ask which one is being proposed and why.

3. What happens if we wait?

For a child, this is the most important question. A good answer names a specific growth problem that becomes harder to treat later, or says honestly that waiting is fine. See two-phase treatment.

4. What does the fee include?

Records, all visits, retainers, the first year of retainer checks, refinements for aligners, repairs. Two quotes that differ by $1,500 can be identical once inclusions are matched. See cost of treatment.

5. Did you look at breathing and the jaw joints?

An assessment that looks only at the teeth misses the reasons the teeth ended up where they are. Ask what was noted about the airway, tonsils, jaw joints and habits. See airway orthodontics.

6. Who will I see at each visit, and how often?

Some offices rotate providers; some see the orthodontist only occasionally. Ask how often the orthodontist personally reviews progress, and what remote monitoring is used between visits.

7. What happens if the first plan does not work?

Teeth do not always track. Ask whether refinements, plan changes or a switch from aligners to braces mid-treatment cost extra, and how the office handles a case that is not progressing.

Things that matter less than they seem

Star ratings (most offices have many), before-and-after galleries (best cases are selected everywhere), and technology lists. Scanners and 3D printers are standard now. What is not standard is diagnosis and planning, which no photo shows.