• General Ortho Q & A
• Treatment Q & A
• Financial Q & A

A.  Being a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthodontics is the highest level of attainment in the specialty of orthodontics.  This voluntary examination and certification process involves a thorough written examination covering all areas of information on which an orthodontist should be knowledgeable.  Successful passage allows the orthodontist to present treated cases, which will be evaluated by expert examiners of the Board during a Clinical Examination.  Dr. DiMassa is one of only a select few orthodontists in the Cleveland area that is Board Certified.

A.  To ensure that you have an excellent team caring for your smile, Dr. DiMassa surrounds himself with a highly skilled and trained team of experts.  Each team member goes through extensive in-office training, supervised by Dr. DiMassa, along with continuing education seminars.  Each assistant is X-ray certified as required by the state.

A.  Every patient’s treatment is different.  Usually, patients begin treatment approximately one month after the first exam appointment.  After your exam appointment and diagnostic records are completed, you will have a separate appointment called  a consultation to go over your diagnosis, customized treatment plan, and financial information.  We want to ensure that you have a full understanding of your treatment and that you are comfortable proceeding.  Treatment begins on your third appointment.  Call today to get started toward a beautiful smile!

A.  Your records appointment takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.  Our office is committed to staying on schedule to prevent you from waiting or being delayed. 

A.  Yes.  Impressions are necessary to create study models of your teeth so that Dr. DiMassa can accurately complete your diagnosis and customized treatment plan.

A.  No.  While everyone’s tastes vary, nothing during your records appointment tastes “bad.”  Most things are warm and taste like water.  However, to alleviate any possible unpleasant tastes, the Records Technician will offer you several flavors to choose from for your impressions.

A.  On average, your appointments will be spaced every 8-12 weeks unless otherwise specified by the doctor.  For your convenience, Braces by DiMassa uses top–of-the-line materials that actively work to improve your smile over eight-to-12 week increments.  Because our excellent materials are so effective, patients enjoy fewer in-office appointments without compromising a single benefit.

A.  Yes.  You are always welcome at either office.  Because your records are housed in one location, we prefer you stay at that location as often as possible; however, we certainly understand that your schedule may change, and we are flexible in accommodating you.

A. Yes.  Our entire team travels between both offices to ensure that our patients get unsurpassed treatment from the most highly-trained team available -- regardless of location.

A. Yes.  Our short, ten-minute appointments begin at 7:30 a.m., and the last scheduled appointment of the day is at 4:00 p.m.  Because before- and after-school appointments are in high-demand, any patient needing an appointment 20 minutes or longer is seen during the day between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.  This allows our office to maximize the number of patients we see before and after school for your convenience.

A. Your child’s first phase of treatment is necessary to work with growth, to reduce the severity of later orthodontic problems, and to decrease the amount of treatment time down the road.  The second phase of treatment is to correct your child’s bite and to make the teeth fit together properly for a fully functioning, beautiful smile.  A first phase of treatment allows us to achieve an ideal end result with braces that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to achieve.

A. As in any medical field, different orthodontists have different training and different approaches to treatment. Dr. DiMassa is highly trained and an expert in his field.  Depending on where the other orthodontists received training, their treatment plans and recommendations may vary.