Does frequent adjustments reduce treatment time?

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#1 Post by **Natasha_26** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 12:16 pm

Hi..

I am not sure whether this question has been asked before or not but I am a little curious to know abt this.

I have a friend in New Zealand who recently got braces...her treatment time is supposed to be 24 months. She is planning to get married in the next 18 months or so and she told me that her ortho told her that having adjustments every 3 - 4 weeks instead of every 6-8 weeks would reduce her treatment time.

If this is true then why dont all orthodontists do this..? I am sure that just like me, everyone would like to be out of braces as soon as possible.

I also read in Dr Richards article that tightening the braces like crazy would slow down tooth movement by crushing the supporting structures around the teeth.

Any opinions on this?

#2 Post by **mackenzie** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 1:45 pm

My ortho originaly told me come every 6 weeks and you'll be done in 18 months but I was upset because I really want them off by my senior pics, so she said if I came every 4 weeks and when I get elastics change them every 2 hours I will be done in around 12 months.

#3 Post by **dena** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 5:01 pm

i think you can really mess up your teeth by adjusting too frequently. but that said, my ortho's office said to come in every 4-6 weeks...and the woman that deals with appointments said to try not to come every 6 because it would be a slower process.

#4 Post by **hannah164** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:56 pm

Wow! If I could have my braces off sooner I would come in for adjustments every 2 weeks!

I know for a while there when my impacted canine was coming down my ortho had me coming every 3 weeks and it defnitely brought the tooth down a lot faster!

I hate having adjustments so far apart like 6 weeks like this one right now but I had to reschedule and my ortho was off for vacation.

But I'm really not sure if having more frequent adjustments shortens treatment time!

Like Dena said, I think it can damage tooth roots if you move too fast but I would like my teeth to be progressing faster!

Good luck!

-Hannah

Top braces: 4/28/04
Bottom braces: 11/16/05
Next Adjustment was 1/11/06 but now is rescheduled to 1/21/06

#5 Post by **missing_tooth** » Tue Jan 17, 2006 11:24 pm

I think my ortho is going to take his time. I can't imagine moving too fast is a good thing. He says 2 -3 years time. Being as I have molor that half rolled over on it's side I can't imagine things going too quickly.

#6 Post by **IndyBraceFace** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 7:37 am

I wonder if it has to do with how much movement needs to take place as well. For people that have more serious movement to be done, maybe it's better to take it slower than someone who just has a little straightening to do. I don't have any major problems and so far all of my adjustments have been scheduled every three weeks per my ortho.

*shrug*

#7 Post by **jcdamon3** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:56 pm

Hi!

My ortho does not give me a choice about how much time between adjustments. He always tells the receptionist how soon to make my next appointment. I think it depends on what they are doing. This last adjustment, which was yesterday, all they did was tighten the tie wire on my lower tooth. That's it! I have had the same archwire on the top and bottom now for like 3 months! I think the reason that they aren't changing the top is because the bottom is so far behind there is no sense in getting the top even further ahead. And then they can't change the archwire in the bottom because that one darn tooth still needs to rotate around.

Anyway. He said 5 weeks this time instead of 6.

Missing_tooth: I have a rotated molar too and he looked at it yesterday and said it was doing great. Then he said something I hadn't heard before and that was that my molar was crossbiting my other teeth before. He said it is doing just great!

#8 Post by **Eleni** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:41 pm

I don't think you should over generalize the rationale of 4 weeks versus 6 weeks. Decisions of apts have more to do with your case, where you are in the process and what you are having moved/fixed.

Case in point â€“
When they were pulling my tooth down and out of my palate the intervals were short (3 weeks apart) because tension had to be constantly re-added to the string and metal loop. When they were pulling my tooth in, towards the arch, I happened to go away for 4 months and the dentist didnâ€™t have a problem because the process at that stage didnâ€™t require as much fiddling. That tooth came in during that time with no adjustments. Now that itâ€™s about rotating and tweaking, Iâ€™m at 5 week intervals.

I think many people here get confused when their ortho gives them the option of 4-6 weeks. I just consider that a boon to busy adults who have more scheduling issues and therefore can pick what is more convenient to them.

#9 Post by **Natasha_26** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:42 am

Thanks for your comments.

I understand that everyone has different problems to correct so treatment plans varies for everyone, I just didnt know that specific events in your life could determine your treatment plan.

I mean, I could just go to ortho and say I am getting married next year and I want my braces off next year, can u do something abt it?

If its possible for braces to come off earlier then why do u need to mention a specific event for the ortho to take into consideration the early removal of braces?

I am sorry for going on like this but I just needed to express my feelings.

#10 Post by **dena** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 12:08 pm

well, i will only be in the area I'm in now for another 30 months tops. I told my ortho this before we started treatment and he said that if my braces had to come off, they would come off. and, that we'd talk about it as time went on. My ortho says that treating teeth is a process with no specific start or end point (hence braces *can* come off whenever).

but that said, I took his explanation to mean that if my braces had to come off (for my own personal reasons) and my teeth were not *done* to my satisfaction, that that was a decision I'd have to make. so it's not like the orthos are keeping our braces on forever just because (at least mine isn't I believe, because I paid a flat fee and it's in his best interest to get me out of braces as soon as he can) -- but rather there is the option of them making that decision or us making it for them.

#11 Post by **spragers** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:05 pm

I think it depends on the current set of equipment in your mouth. My adjustments have always been 4 weeks (apart from once over Christmas) - the reason being that my ortho has said that the elastic bands and ligatures lose their elasticity after about 3 weeks. If all you have are damons or wire ties and an archwire, then it's the wire doing all the moving, so that 3 week rule wouldn't apply.

When people say they're going in every 8-10 weeks though I think that's a bit rediculous - personally, I would think an ortho would want to check up on the patient's progress even if nothing major was going to be changed.

#12 Post by **NotBob1** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:25 pm

I was just set up with my metallic smile last week, so this may not be a good gauge. I was scheduled for eight weeks on the adjustment. I thought that was a bit long, too. I do have self ligating brackets and that was the reason given. She (tech) also told me that later on when we start using elastics and whatever else (I hope not too much whatever else.) that the times between visits would be shorter.

Unfortunately, at the rate I am going so far: Lost spacer and bonded bracket last weekend and now a loose 2nd molar band from lastnight, I may end up there more often. I swear I'm not eating Almond SPAMMER and crunching on ice!!!

I suppose I would rather take my time and do this slowly. I don't really want to loose any of these teeth. I was told 18 months, but we all know how that goes. If it's 24, I'll be happy! 36....well....I might get a little antsy at this point. I had a girlfriend back when I was 20 something that had braces for over five years. I REALLY don't want to be there, but my case is no where near as complicated.

My thought would be that the older one is and the longer the teeth have been there the more slowly this should be done. But what do I know?

#13 Post by **aznfayeth** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 10:39 am

I typically get 8-10 weeks between adjustments =0( It sux because you dont see any improvement after the first 2 weeks.

#14 Post by **Brooke** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 11:42 am

I am pretty sure that by moving the teeth too quicky it can damage the roots of the teeth. Sometimes faster isnt always better when it comes to doing it the right way. I know that some people make exceptions for things like weddings and so on. I just find it best to follow the ortho's orders and trust that he knows best.