Posted on: 21 January, 2025
A good dental treatment plan aims to optimise oral health and deliver aesthetic outcomes in a structured and cost-effective way
5 minute read
Good planning is essential for success in any field, but it’s especially vital when your health and quality of life is involved. If you’re trusting a dentist to address concerns with your smile or your oral health, you’ll want to be assured that they’re doing everything they can to minimise risks and maximise the chances of a successful outcome.
Issues and complications people have following dental treatments are usually due to poor planning or non-compliance on the patient’s part. If a dentist overlooks something during their initial assessment, or tries to fit too many treatments into a short space of time, these can all affect the quality of their results. Patients can also compromise their success if they don’t follow through with the treatment plan they agreed to with their dentist.
Whether you’re seeking treatment for an oral health problem, a misaligned bite or cosmetic dentistry to enhance your smile, a solid treatment plan will help to keep your treatment on track and make sure you’re getting the quality care you deserve. Read more about the importance of dental treatment plans or book a consultation with our Mount Lawley dentists to get started developing yours.
A treatment plan is a comprehensive outline of dental treatments and services provided along a set timeline that’s individually tailored to your needs. A good dentist will involve you in the planning process, making sure it addresses your concerns and doesn’t include any unnecessary extras you don’t want.
Developing a treatment plan requires care and attention, as every stage needs to be carefully considered with relation to other treatments and healing times. This is especially vital if you’re having multiple treatments within a smile makeover that may involve coordinating your hygienist and dentist and at times, a specialist, working towards a common goal.
Treatment plans begin with a consultation and evaluation to identify all problems and concerns, then proceed through treatments to aftercare. Each step in a treatment plan has a specific purpose and should be carried out at the right time to help address your immediate and long-term goals.
Detailed treatment plans are important for several reasons:
Dental treatment can be complex or may involve coordinating a number of procedures, depending on the condition of your teeth and gums and the results you’re aiming for. Each of these phases may involve its own recovery time and post-operative care.
If you’re having cosmetic treatment, for example, your dentist needs to address any outstanding oral health problems such as tooth decay or gum disease first, or these could affect your outcome. It can sometimes take up to 6 weeks for treated gums to heal before cosmetic or restorative work can be done.
If you want to straighten your teeth using braces or clear aligners, your teeth may need to be treated for decay first, or at times, problem teeth including wisdom teeth, may need to be extracted.
If you plan on getting composite or porcelain veneers, but your dentist has noticed that you grind your teeth (a condition known as bruxism), they will recommend you wear a protective mouthguard or night splint to prevent damage to newly restored teeth.
When you and your dentist agree on a treatment plan, it’s important that you both follow it through. If a plan is put on hold due to unforeseen circumstances, changing your mind or poor compliance, this can have ripple affects involving complexity, cost, a dentists’ ability to treat you and your expected outcome.
If scheduled treatments are skipped, delayed or only partially completed, this may leave teeth, gums or other structures open to infections and damage. This could cause pain or result in other complications and could require more complex and costly treatment later. The more complex your treatment requirements become, the more likely your dentist may need to refer you onto a specialist for help.
To avoid problems and make sure you’re on the same page, your dentist will go over your treatment plan before it’s finalised to make sure you understand what it involves and what you need to do.
Every treatment plan is different, as it should be based on your individual needs and the treatments you and your dentist agree on, but all good treatment plans have some things in common. Whether a plan is straightforward or complex, it should include:
Treatment planning is a collaborative process that involves active participation between you and your dentist, beginning at your initial consultation. To schedule an appointment with a dentist in Mount Lawley, call our friendly team on (08) 9227 8777.
During your consultation with a dentist, they will ask about your concerns or symptoms and carry out a comprehensive examination of your teeth, gums, tongue and cheeks. If you are a new patient visiting for the first time, you will have x-rays taken to check the condition of teeth underneath the gumline, and at times, additional x-rays to check the health of the bone under the gums. This allows your dentist to assess their condition and identify any other issues that may also be present and require treatment.
They will also discuss your goals from treatment and help you to set realistic expectations of what can be achieved. If you have aesthetic concerns that may be addressed with cosmetic treatments such as teeth whitening, veneers or Invisalign® clear aligners, your dentist may take photos to document your before and after journey. They also need information about relevant dental and medical history, dietary or lifestyle habits, or other factors that could influence your oral health or treatment outcome.
Your consultation is an opportunity to discuss any other requirements you have too, such as techniques to help manage dental anxiety through treatment or payment plans to help manage the cost of treatment.
Once your dentist has gathered all the information they need, they will discuss the best course of treatment and the various options that could help you. These discussions will be the foundation of your treatment plan.
Your dentist will make sure you’re fully informed about your options and the details of each treatment before you agree to your treatment plan. This includes making you aware of the advantages, disadvantages and possible risks of treatments and any alternatives, when available.
In some cases, an alternative may be to avoid treatment or part of a treatment, though your dentist will make you aware of any possible risks of doing so. Your decisions are final and will respected by your dentist.
If your treatment plan involves multiple treatments, or phases of treatment, your dentist will schedule them in order of priority, or accounting for other factors like healing periods. This often begins with oral hygiene maintenance treatments to remove plaque from your teeth or other general treatments to address existing tooth decay or other problems that could affect the success of later treatments.
Problems that are causing pain, sensitivity or other discomfort, or that are otherwise indicated as a priority, will also be completed early when possible. Cosmetic dentistry treatments such as teeth whitening and veneers are typically scheduled after hygiene and general treatments to make sure the underlying teeth and gums are healthy and to help any new restorations last as long as possible.
If your treatment plan does need to be adjusted for any reason, your dentist will provide a revised plan, highlighting the changes that you’ve agreed on together.
Dental treatment isn’t a set-and-forget process. Depending on the treatment you’re having, your dentist may schedule review appointments to monitor your progress and make sure you’re satisfied with your results. They can also help you with any questions or advice, or make adjustments and provide top-up treatments as needed. Be sure to take your trays or appliance with you so they can also be checked by your dentist.
Taking good care of your oral hygiene and general health in daily life is also important for improving your chances of a smooth recovery and long-term success from your dental treatments. This includes regular brushing and flossing, following a healthy diet, and other instructions and guidance your dentist may provide. Keeping a good oral hygiene routine in between dental visits, helps both your natural and restored teeth to last as long as possible.
Your dentist should also respect your finances when suggesting treatments and alternatives to help you stay within your budget. Your dental clinic will make sure you know whether any treatments and services can be claimed on private health insurance or have other discounts. Many clinics also offer payment plans with interest-free instalments to help make treatment costs more manageable.
Dentists should also avoid jargon when explaining treatment options in ways that are simple to understand, without seeming arrogant or patronising. Good communication ensures that you and your dentist will be on the same page as you work together to achieve your oral health or smile goals.
Whatever problem you’re dealing with, or whatever you want to change about your smile, our dentists at Mount Lawley Dental will listen to your concerns and work closely with you to create your tailored treatment plan.
To learn more about our services, our team and how we can help you, call us today on (08) 9227 8777 or book a consultation online. We welcome patients from all nearby locations, including Highgate, Inglewood and elsewhere in North Perth.