One thing that’s become very popular in the orthodontic industry throughout recent years is the online smile assessment, but a lot of people are still confused about what this is and how it’s valuable for patients. Online smile assessments have become a routine part of the orthodontic treatment journey, particularly for invisible aligner patients, but what exactly do these assessments entail?

We’ve luckily partnered up with an industry leader in Dr. James Karpac to develop this comprehensive overview detailing what online smile assessments are, and how they’re important for orthodontic patients!

Online Smile Assessments For Invisible Aligner Patients

Invisible aligners have become wildly popular in recent years for orthodontic patients of all ages, and this is largely because they eliminate the need for the metal wires and brackets associated with traditional braces by providing customized plastic aligner trays that perform the exact same type of teeth movements.

For many orthodontic patients, the invisible aligner treatment process will begin with an online smile assessment, which takes about a minute or two to complete and provides your orthodontist with a lot of vital information. These assessments generally include personal information about the patient, why the patient is interested in straightening their teeth, and what their primary orthodontic issue seems to be (gapped teeth, crooked teeth, bite problems, teeth grinding, etc.)

Your online smile assessment will also typically require you to take a few selfie photos that showcase different aspects of your smile. Your orthodontist will review these images, and then subsequently have a better idea as to what should happen during your first, in-person consultation appointment.

Why Are Online Smile Assessments Important For Orthodontic Patients?

Online smile assessments are usually just the very beginning of the orthodontic treatment journey, but they’re very important because it provides orthodontists and their staff with a lot of helpful information that they can then use during a consultation appointment.

Every orthodontist understands just how busy everyone is these days, particularly teenagers and parents who are often juggling school, extracurricular activities, and daily errands. This is why orthodontists throughout the country have started doing their part to make the first steps of the treatment journey more efficient, and online smile assessments do just that.

When you answer some important questions about yourself and your treatment expectations, you’ll give your orthodontist the tidbits that they’ll need to get your treatment off to the right start. This is also helpful for patients and parents, because it allows you to get the gears going on certain questions and concerns that you might want to address during your consultation appointment as well.

Does An Online Smile Assessment Support A Patient’s Invisible Aligner Treatment?

Online smile assessments are incredibly useful when it comes to establishing the right path toward resolving malocclusions and other orthodontic and oral health issues. Although there are plenty of other tools that orthodontists will utilize besides an online smile assessment, these assessments do provide professional teams with initial insights that are valuable in terms of understanding a patient’s unique issues—which goes a long way for treatment recommendations.

You’re undoubtedly going to get another complex smiles assessment during your first in-person appointment with your orthodontist, and this assessment will confirm whether or not you’re best suited for invisible aligners or traditional braces.

But what’s great about getting an online smile assessment is that it essentially gives your orthodontist a heads up about what they can expect during your initial consultation, and this makes your first appointment go a lot smoother!

Contact The JK Orthodontics Team To See How An Online Smile Assessment Can Support Your Orthodontic Treatment Journey!

Orthodontic treatment has been revolutionized in recent years, and online smile assessments are yet another tech-savvy innovation that orthodontists throughout the country are currently using to improve their practices.

You can learn more about online smile assessments by going to the JK Orthodontics link located at the beginning of this blog!