How quickly will I receive my assessment result?

A virtual orthodontic assessment typically involves submitting a guided set of photos taken at home using a smartphone. A registered clinician reviews the photos and returns a recommendation or indicative quote. The process is designed to give patients a clear starting point before committing to an in-person appointment. Good lighting and a lip retractor or the back of a spoon help the front and side views show the teeth clearly, and the guidance in the process tells you which angles to take. The result is advice on likely treatment types and cost, and where a clinician spots something that needs an in-person examination, they will say so.

A virtual assessment is a useful starting point for gauging suitability and receiving an indicative quote, but it cannot replace a full clinical examination. An in-person appointment allows the clinician to take X-rays, check gum health, record your bite in detail, and assess factors that photos cannot capture. The two are complementary rather than interchangeable. In practice, the virtual step is most useful for deciding whether it is worth travelling to a practice at all, for getting a realistic price range to compare, and for arriving at the first appointment with your questions already prepared, while the in-person visit is what confirms the diagnosis and the plan.