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The Initial Challenge
The patient first visited our practice accompanied by her mother and younger brother, sharing that she felt highly self-conscious about the alignment of her top teeth.
A comprehensive clinical evaluation by Orthodontist Claire O’Sullivan revealed several structural hurdles:
- Severe Crowding: A significant lack of arch space in both the upper and lower jaws, causing teeth to overlap.
- Impacted Wisdom Teeth: Early panoramic X-rays (OPGs) showed that all four wisdom teeth were developing but already displaying signs of early mesio-angular impaction.
- Scheduling Constraints & Anxiety: The patient was extremely anxious about dental procedures. Furthermore, because she regularly travels to Poland for the summer to visit her grandmother, the treatment timeline had to be carefully managed to prevent disruptions.
The Comprehensive Treatment Programme
To provide a stable bite and a beautiful smile line without compromising her travel plans, our specialist team designed and engineered a highly coordinated, phased treatment strategy.
1. Strategic Extractions & Overcoming Nervousness (Early 2022)
To create the physical space needed to resolve the severe crowding, the patient was referred to our dental team for the extraction of four premolars.
Recognising that the patient was very nervous, Dr Stephen Taylor took a gentle, step-by-step approach. The extractions were completed comfortably over two separate visits utilising local anaesthetic. Dr Taylor noted that during the upper extractions, the teeth displayed short roots and a developing tissue sack, which were safely and cleanly removed with intact apices, allowing the sites to heal beautifully.
2. Phased Fixed Braces Alignment (2022 – 2024)
Once the extraction sites healed, fixed metal braces were bonded to both arches.
- Managing Anxiety in the Chair: At the bonding appointment, our orthodontic therapist, Sarah, carefully walked the patient through every stage of the procedure, utilising calming breathing techniques to ensure she felt completely safe and relaxed.
- Navigating Summer Travel: To accommodate her extended summer trip to Poland, our team strategically fitted robust, heavy-gauge wires and protective bite-raising composite blocks to protect the appliances from breaking while she was away from our Dublin clinic.
- Precision Finishing: Over the course of 24 months, the team utilised specialised open coil springs and Class II elastics to systematically close the extraction gaps, align her canine teeth, and perfect her final bite classification.
3. Accommodating a Travel Deadline & Clear Retention (May 2024)
In May 2024, the patient returned to the clinic with a large cold sore on her upper lip. While this made stretching the lips uncomfortable, the patient shared that she urgently needed her braces removed before the 9th of June due to an upcoming flight back to Poland.
Prioritising the patient’s goal, Ortho Laura Herbsta carefully performed a full de-bond on the 21st of May, perfectly hitting the patient’s deadline. High-resolution digital scans and final photographs were taken immediately to manufacture her custom-moulded upper and lower Essix retainers, locking her beautifully aligned teeth into their permanent positions.
The Radiant Result
The patient concluded her two-year treatment programme with a perfectly coordinated bite, completely resolved crowding, and an incredibly straight, radiant smile. By combining empathetic anxiety management with flexible scheduling, our team ensured she could confidently jet off to Poland to show off her brand-new smile to her grandmother.
The Specialist Advantage: Complex orthodontic treatment shouldn’t mean putting your life or family travel on hold. By choosing a specialist clinic like Dublin Orthodontist, this family received a highly customised, resilient treatment plan that anticipated real-world scheduling needs while completely safeguarding the patient’s emotional and physical comfort.
Start Your Family’s Smile Transformation Today
Is your child hiding their teeth in photos or feeling anxious about the idea of getting braces? Our specialist-led team is world-class at providing gentle, tailored treatment programmes that work around your family’s busy life and travel commitments.
