New Patients

When it comes to your smile and oral health, experience matters. Dr. Angelina Loo and Dr. Edwin Yen each have several decades of experience and are certified orthodontist specialists at the highest level.

Getting Started With Orthodontics

Orthodontics is the science of gently moving teeth and jaws that are misaligned. As orthodontists, Dr. Loo and Dr. Yen work to diagnose, prevent and correct misaligned teeth and jaws. Conditions commonly treated with orthodontics, include crowded teeth, overbites,underbites and spacing (gaps between teeth).

ORTHODONTICS FOR KIDS

We’ll help your child develop a healthy, functional, and beautiful smile.

ORTHODONTICS FOR ADULTS

We’ll help you enhance your confidence and smile more by straightening your teeth.

CLEFT & CRANIOFACIAL

We offer a full range of solutions for cleft palates and craniofacial concerns.

What to Expect

Your First Visit

During your initial consultation, Dr. Loo will review your health history, discuss your treatment goals, perform an orthodontic exam and take diagnostic records (digital xrays and photographs).

Case Presentations

After Dr. Loo has reviewed your case, she will discuss your customized treatment plan in detail, including the costs, treatment timeline and expectations.

Regular Visits

If you’re not able to keep your appointment, please contact the office 48hrs in advance. Cancel only in an emergency, as rescheduling can take up to 4-8 weeks.

Fees

Fees are determined by the difficulty of the original dental bite, the age of the patient, the number of phases involved in treatment, and the need for jaw surgery to provide an ideal correction.

Payment Options

Our payment options may be individualized to accommodate each patient. Although the payment options are quite flexible, the most common payment plan chosen by patients who are undergoing full treatment includes an initial appliance fee, followed by the division of the balance over 20 months.

Insurance Coverage

Individuals who are both diagnosed with a congenital facial disorder and covered under BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) are billed directly to the government insurer. For all other insurance coverages, payments are made directly to the insurer (patient/parent).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play sports with braces or retainers?

Absolutely!

Can I play musical instruments with braces or retainers?

Usually there is no problem playing musical instruments with braces or retainers. If there are minor difficulties, practice will usually correct the problem.

At what age should children have an orthodontic screening?

Children are recommended to have their first orthodontic examination by the age of seven. By this time, enough adult teeth have come in and jaw development has occurred to identify current and future problems.

How long will it take to complete the treatment?

The usual treatment time for full braces is 20-24 months, but this may vary significantly with the severity of the original bite.

When will I begin to see changes to my teeth after my braces are put on?

Within 4-6 weeks.

What are the fees for braces?

Fees are determined by the difficulty of the original dental bite, the age of the patient, the number of phases involved in treatment, and the need for jaw surgery to provide an ideal correction.

Can I use whitening toothpaste with braces?

Whitening toothpaste is not recommended until after your braces come off. If you use a whitening toothpaste on a daily basis, the teeth underneath the brackets (braces) may not be as white as the rest of your teeth when your braces are removed.

Do braces or retainers hurt?

It might take some time to get used to braces and retainers in the beginning. Your teeth and jaws are changing during the treatment process and there may be minor discomforts. An over-the-counter pain reliever like Tylenol or Advil may be taken to alleviate the soreness, if needed.

Do I need a dentist referral to see Dr. Loo or Dr. Yen?

Referral from your family dentist is not mandatory but bringing a referral form from your family dentist helps communicate your dental needs more clearly. Word-of-mouth recommendations from families and friends of existing patients are also a great way for Dr. Loo and Dr. Yen to meet new patients. Spread the word if you like your orthodontist!

How can I pay for treatment?

Our payment plans are friendly and flexible. Let us know how we can assist if you have insurance or what works for you and we will try our best to accommodate you. Insurance is welcome and method of payments include credit cards, debit, cash and personal cheques.

How can I prevent my child from being embarrassed by wearing braces?

It’s our objective to educate your child on what treatment with braces means, and we provide tools toward this objective. We feel every child must have an age-appropriate understanding of the treatment we are providing. We try to make treatment fun and the appliances aesthetic, so your child’s experience in our practice is a positive one.

How often will I need appointments?

Appointment intervals vary depending on your individualized plan-of-care. On average, patients are seen once every four to ten weeks.

Why do baby teeth sometimes need to be pulled?

Dr. Loo or Dr. Yen may recommend having your family dentist extract certain baby teeth to alleviate crowding or to allow adult teeth to come in better.

World Class Orthodontic Specialists in Vancouver, BC

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Dr. Angelina Loo

Dr. Angie Loo has been practicing as a Certified Specialist in Orthodontics in Vancouver for over 25 years. Dr. Loo graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of British Columbia in 1985, and from the University of Manitoba with a combined certification in the specialty of Orthodontics and Masters in Science in Craniofacial Biology in 1989. Her clinical research interests are in 3D outcomes in children with cleft and craniofacial conditions, with her work most recently recognized as the 2022 recipient of the AAO Humanitarian Award.

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Dr. Edwin Yen

Dr. Yen is a Certified Specialist in Orthodontics with over 3 decades of experience. He has degrees from McGill University and University of Toronto. He is the past Dean of the UBC Faculty of Dentistry, and is Professor and program director of the Graduate Orthodontics Program at UBC.

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