Metal Mouth Message Board

So I'll be getting my braces in a couple weeks. My question for you all is how often do you get your adjustements done? My case is fairly uncomplicated. Just about 12 months or maybe less. I have some gaps (not huge) that need to be closed up basically.
Now, my mother had braces as an adult about 5 years ago and her case was super complicated with bite problems and everything so she didnt want to be in braces for 2-3 years. She managed to convince her ortho to do adjustements every 2 weeks and within 13 months she was totally done and her teeth are perfect.
So Im thinking I want to do something similar. But how realistic is it to ask for adjustements so close together? Any of you with similar case?
Or just how often do you get them?
(sorry for rambling on)

Mine are approx. every 6 weeks, but sometimes I'll go in and have my ligs changed sooner because of staining or whatever. And, this is typically what's been done at most of my appts. now for the tops. The bottoms, however, I am just starting on, so I'm getting my newer wires, etc.

I'd have to say that maybe INITIALLY having appointments with less time apart may 'speed' things up, but at the same time, you want to do things in a healthy way. Teeth will only move so fast..and making them move faster than they should could be a danger.

Also, your mom's teeth may have just been faster-movers than some others. So, you could potentially go in every 2 weeks and have far SLOWER results than her. It's just all a matter of each individual's teeth...everyone is different and there really is no 'formula.'

Initially I started out with my appointments being every 5-6 weeks. When I hit around month 8 I went in every 4 weeks for an adjustment and I was also wearing clear powerchains on the uppers and went inbetween appointments to get them changed. I was usually in the office everyother week or so.

B

Mine were always 5 weeks apart. But towards the later months of treament my ortho started making them 4 weeks, then 3 weeks, then 2 weeks, to try to squueze in as many asjustments before I go overseas for 5 months. Unfortunately I was not happy with my teeth, so I'm keeping my braces on whilst overseas and continuing treatment when I get back home! Yippee.

Mine are about every 5 - 6 weeks.

Make sure that you book your appointments well in advance at the right intervals and stick to them.

Remember slow and steady wins the race.

I have had my braces on for 4 weeks today and my first adjustment is after 10 weeks. I asked the ortho assistant why so long and she said that was the normal amount of time for adjustments. Is that a normal amount of time for anyone else? I have metal top and bottom - Damons I think.

I have been braces a little over a month and so far they are scheduling me every 4 weeks. I have no idea if that will remain the same though, time will tell...

When I book at reception I ask for every four weeks. My ligatures get grotty after that time, and they always seem to make some adjustment resulting in tooth movement, so overall I think its a good thing. Grotty ligatures seem to be an acceptable reason for regular adjustments, whereas I have overheard claims of faster movement adamantly denied, by receptionists, many a time whilst I have been in the waiting room. Well, I prefer more frequent adjustments on both counts, but am more than happy to say it's due to staining to keep all happy! Humm...the receptionists always comment on how fast my teeth have moved...but I smile sweetly and thank them for fitting me, and joke about my tea addiction! That said some people are luckier than others with speed of movement.

Sometimes I have had an adjustment every two weeks. Initially I had powerchains to bring my bottom canines back, and they broke after two weeks pretty much every time, so in the end we just made two weekly appointments, but I'm not sure in my case things would have been any quicker if I had adjustments this regularly the rest of the time.

I have to say the practice leaflet does say treatment is faster if appointments are not missed, so I guess forward planning to avoid delays due to holidays etc would help.

This is really interesting. My appointments are every 8 weeks - which I think is a bit long. I think I will suggest to my ortho that I can come more often if it will make things move faster. No doubt she will say that it makes no difference - she skipped me forward 2 wires on my last adjustment.

jaylo wrote:She managed to convince her ortho to do adjustements every 2 weeks and within 13 months she was totally done and her teeth are perfect.
So Im thinking I want to do something similar. But how realistic is it to ask for adjustements so close together? Any of you with similar case?
Or just how often do you get them?
(sorry for rambling on)

Any chance you could use the same ortho your mom used? I don't know if you live close to the area or not but if you do it might be worth a try. If not, you can always request it and see what your ortho says. I doubt mine would have agreed to that; he seems to have a pretty high opinion of himself and his abilities and mostly does things his way.... He had me coming in every 8 weeks to start, and then it went down to 6 around mid-treatment, then down to 4, then down to 2 the last few times, and I'm getting them off at my next appointment.

I always felt like my teeth had the chance for more movement the more often I went in. Sometimes it seemed like my teeth stopped moving several weeks before the next adjustment so I agree that it would be nice to go in more often. I think orthos today think most patients want to go in LESS often because of our busy schedules and its more convenient for us to only need to go once every 2 months, yes... but it made me feel like my treatment was dragging out - maybe it was all in my head, I don't know. But good luck - just ask, the worst that can happen is s/he says no.

Hi,

I normally go every 6 weeks. In the beginning of my treatment, I asked my ortho if I could have an adjustment every 4 weeks but he said it's not good to rush things, and change don't happen overnight. He's a really good ortho and I trust him, so I don't mind going every six weeks. I asked my friends who wore braces before and they all went for their adjustments every 4-7 weeks, so I guess that's the average. Now I'm so excited, after 17 months, I'm getting my upper braces off in 33 days Not so bad, it's less then 18 months. I don't mind keeping the lowers a bit longer they're not so obvious.

So I believe it depends on your situation, what needs to be done. Maybe in your case, 2 weeks is ok.

Good luck!

Andromeda wrote :

"I always felt like my teeth had the chance for more movement the more often I went in. Sometimes it seemed like my teeth stopped moving several weeks before the next adjustment so I agree that it would be nice to go in more often. I think orthos today think most patients want to go in LESS often because of our busy schedules and its more convenient for us to only need to go once every 2 months, yes... but it made me feel like my treatment was dragging out - maybe it was all in my head, I don't know."

I have to say that I totally agree with that. Even though I trust my ortho and his judgment, it seems as if my teeth stop moving a few weeks before the next adjustment, but I'm hoping it's just in my head too

My appts are 8 weeks apart with self-ligating...much too long to wait. Just before my first adjustment yesterday, the top wire was so loose, it wasn't putting any pressure on my teeth, so I know they could be seeing me at 7 or even 6 week intervals.

Thank you all for your advise and info. Its interesting to see how it varies from person to person. Im excited to finally get them on.

Thank you all for your advise and info. Its interesting to see how it varies from person to person. Im excited to finally get them on.