Don't know where to start with my dental treatment

Viserion

As the title suggests I'm just starting out on the road to having my teeth fixed.

I'm 26 and I have never had any dental treatment other than emergency visits to the dentist for acute pericoronitis. It is recurring, severe and on the last occasion I presented at my dentist with it he told me that it was time for me to have my wisdom teeth removed and consider having the orthodontic work I need done started.

My upper wisdom teeth are fully erupted but there is bad overcrowding in my upper teeth, in particular the 6 teeth immediately at the front, all crooked and sitting on top of each other. My lower wisdom teeth are only partially erupted and this is where the pericoronitis keeps reoccuring, underneath the gum flaps. I have bad overcrowding in my lower teeth, with the 8 teeth immediately to the front of my mouth crooked. I think my upper teeth may have caused a lot of the problems with my lower teeth as they never used to be too bad.

Basically I don't know where to start.
Should I go to my own dentist and get referred to an orthodontist or should i go directly to an orthodontist? Secondly, I expect that the work I need done will be quite extensive and because i'm a little bit older, I expect it may take longer to correct so therefore I am guessing that it may be very expensive - does anyone know of an excellent orthodontist in Waterford who offers reasonable payment terms? I am thinking if the work costs €4,000 to complete I could arrange an installment plan with the orthodontist, say 7 payments of €500 or so over the course of the length of treatment - would that be something an orthodontist would offer?
As I have said, I have only visited my dentist when problems have arisen so that's 4 times in the past 3 years so i don't have a "relationship" with him that i feel i can call on for trusted advice. He is a good dentist but i want to make sure that if i am parting with a lot of money that it's going to the right place so i would prefer recommendations from successful patients if possible.

Also, if I pay by installment plan, when I am claiming through the MED2 form, do i claim each year in respect of each installment made that year or would i be better off waiting until i have finished treatment and claim altogether?

I am worried that if I leave the problems with my teeth any longer that it will result in very serious problems with my jaws etc. so i would appreciate any help anyone can offer?
Thanks in advance.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Sound like you have a pretty good grasp of the situation. Ask your dentist for a referral to a orthodontist, and generally dentists will recommend good ones they have used for years.

Every orthodontist I know offers treatment plan payments over the course of treatment that will not be a problem.

Oral Surgeon

Amir Shrilling Dressmaker wrote: »

Sound like you have a pretty good grasp of the situation. Ask your dentist for a referral to a orthodontist, and generally dentists will recommend good ones they have used for years.

Every orthodontist I know offers treatment plan payments over the course of treatment that will not be a problem.

I'd see an oral surgeon soon too as your pericoronitis is unlikely to sort itself out on It's own.
Good luck with it all,
Os