Travelling to Ireland for 6 months

cuestion

Hi, I´m from Chile and am travelling to Ireland having lost my business here in the tsunami. I have braces and am wondering how difficult it would be to continue my treatment in Ireland.

The only other option I have is to remove them first, but as I am 1.5 years into my treatment, I would rather continue and get it over with.

So, I am wondering if anyone knew what it would involve to change to a dentist in Ireland, could they please advise.

PM any recommendations of an othodontist...or of approximate prices

Thanks

btkm8unsl0w5r4

I think if you explain your situation to the orthodontist they will be more than happy to continue your treatment for you. Try here for a list of orthodontic specialists.....

http://www.orthodontics.ie/

georgieporgy

it shouldn't be a problem. Any idea where in Ireland you expect to be?

cuestion

Thanks. I think in or around Dublin or the South East - Waterford...

georgieporgy

Tell your orthodontist in Chile you are leaving the country and ask him/her for a small note explaining where you are at with your treatment.

There probably isn't much left to do. If he can't finish things off quickly he will tell you the best thing to do. You can the find an orthodontist here from the link provided by Fitzgeme. And if you do end up in Waterford there are one or two good dentists there too I think.

kkth0360

Hi,

Taking over / finishing another orthodontist's case is not as simple as it might appear.

There is tremendous variation among orthodontists when it comes to treatment planning (show 5 orthodontists the same case, and it's quite likely you'll get 5 different treatment plans), and trends in treatment also differ between geographic areas - mainstream treatment modalities in Chile may not be widely used in the UK and Ireland (think tongue spurs for AOB).

Add to that the fact that the bracket system and / or prescription may be unfamiliar to the orthodontist taking over the case, and in some cases may require a specific instrument and you can see that it's not, in many cases, all that straightforward.

Then there's the question of fees - will the treating orthodontist refund you the fee for that part of the treatment carried out overseas, (and how is this calculated?), what fee will be charged to take over the case? - and who takes responsibility for the treatment should problems arise in the future (severe root resorption, for example)?

Of course, patients are sometimes transferred from one orthodontist to another mid-treatment. In general this does not cause undue problems, although overall treatment time will tend to be extended. In many cases the receiving orthodontist will prefer to remove the appliances and rebond in his preferred system and prescription, and modify the treatment plan in accordance with his own treatment preferences and philosophies.

If you are only going to be away for 6 months, I would suggest visiting your orthodontist just before you leave. Make sure he knows you will be going away and he will ensure that the appliances are stabilised as far as possible (ie securely ligated and inactive). Then arrange to see him / her again on your return. This means extending your treatment time, but only by 2 visits (based on an 8-week appointment interval), and it means that your treatment will progress seamlessly, without the problems and complications detailed above.

If acute problems should arise while you're here, such as a broken bracket or sharp wire, most orthodontists will be happy to remedy it for you and make you comfortable, and most wouldn't even charge a fee for this (we would hope that our Chilean colleagues would do the same for us, should the need arise!).

If you'll be here for more than 6 months, then you may have no option but to arrange to transfer to a local orthodontist.

day dreamer

Hi

sorry for your troubles in the tsunami and earthquake, hope things turn around for Chile soon. Welcome to Ireland on your trip. It is hard to know how much longer you have left as treatment time can vary a lot.

I would have to agree with kkth0360. Orthodontic transfers can be a nightmare but if things are well advanced it may be possible to continue without much of a fuss. The issue of responsibility for retention or for adverse effects is something we have to deal with for all patients and if you are going back to Chile then it is something you will have to follow-up there yourself.

If a patient has a different bracket system or size of bracket then I wouldnt have the tools or wires to adjust them. So if they wanted to transfer they may need to be rebonded and this of course will cost.

If you are travelling for 6 months then just tell your orthodontist and leave things lie. This is not the end of the world If an emergency comes up any orthodontist would be happy to get you out of trouble.

If you are coming to Ireland for longer get a letter from your orthodontist (in english) to say what type of appliance you have and what the treatment plan was. Also get a copy of xrays, models and photos. E-mail the orthodontist in advance so you can get an idea who might be able to see you. Expect to pay €150-200 per appointment, there may be a larger cost if the braces had to be removed and replaced.