Metal Mouth Message Board

The first appointment was a consultation. The second appointment I got my molds did and top braces put on. Now I have my first appointment after getting braces on so what is supposed to happen at this appointment.

If you have conventional braces, you will certainly get your ligatures (the little rubbery "donuts" that attach the wire to the brackets) changed. You will probably have your wire changed for something thicker (and therefore stiffer.) Beyond that? Depends on your case.

Typically, your ortho will look you over, see what kind of progress you've made so far, and implement whatever changes he/she sees fit. Typically this could mean a wire change, maybe some bends in your old wire, starting you in elastics, or any number of things. Sometimes though, they will change nothing if it doesn't appear you are ready for it yet. It's hard to ever predict exactly what will happen but hopefully this gives you a bit of an idea. Good luck with everything!

1 thing I don't get is when people refer to it as getting braces tightened, it's really more like an adjustment, the very least they usually do is change your wires out to stronger ones, and replace the ligatures (also sometimes referred to as Elastics or Rubber bands) on each bracket if you have traditional braces, beyond that they may do any number of things to move your treatment how it needs to be going (wires bends, instructing you on how to use Elastics, etc), and it seems for many that get top braces first, bottom braces follow quite a while later (5 months seems to be around the average/minimum)

Do you guys find the assistant does the wire change and you see the ortho for a few minutes only? My ortho is awesome and oh so nice but it really bothers me that the assistant seems to run the show. The office is open with 4 chairs so he bounces around. He must have the TP all figured out then the assistant follows it? I want to say something but don't want to be "that patient".

carrieann wrote:Do you guys find the assistant does the wire change and you see the ortho for a few minutes only? My ortho is awesome and oh so nice but it really bothers me that the assistant seems to run the show. The office is open with 4 chairs so he bounces around. He must have the TP all figured out then the assistant follows it? I want to say something but don't want to be "that patient".

Yes - the assistant does the wire change and elastic change. The ortho comes over to inspect my progress before they start. The last time my ortho asked if I was pleased with the progress, when I replied I had not seen any he promptly pulled up my before photos. Mea Culpa on my part since I look at them every day and just don't pay attention to the progress. I also had a question when I broke a bracket so he spent more time with me to answer it. When the bracket was remounted by the assistant before it was bonded to my tooth the ortho checked it. I found it strange that the assistant does it but I'm ok with it. She remembered my sensitive teeth and went extra soft on those as I was cringing during the wire and elastic change.

JCloNY wrote:

carrieann wrote:Do you guys find the assistant does the wire change and you see the ortho for a few minutes only? My ortho is awesome and oh so nice but it really bothers me that the assistant seems to run the show. The office is open with 4 chairs so he bounces around. He must have the TP all figured out then the assistant follows it? I want to say something but don't want to be "that patient".

Yes - the assistant does the wire change and elastic change. The ortho comes over to inspect my progress before they start. The last time my ortho asked if I was pleased with the progress, when I replied I had not seen any he promptly pulled up my before photos. Mea Culpa on my part since I look at them every day and just don't pay attention to the progress. I also had a question when I broke a bracket so he spent more time with me to answer it. When the bracket was remounted by the assistant before it was bonded to my tooth the ortho checked it. I found it strange that the assistant does it but I'm ok with it. She remembered my sensitive teeth and went extra soft on those as I was cringing during the wire and elastic change.

Good to know this is the typical process. At my next appointment I will request the ortho comes to see me first. Usually the assistant starts the process and he comes over to ask how we are doing. But I want him to actually look at my teeth and tell me if there is any progress and what the next steps are. Then instruct the assistant on the plan for that visit.

My last visit the assistant put in a thicker wire on top which was too strong for my back tooth and a bracket broke. They didn't put it back on. Thanks. Then she put the thicker wire on the bottom and my back bracket broke on my way home. I went right back and the ortho put that bracket back on then told her to use same wire as before. I feel if the ortho would have seen me first then he would have instructed the assistant to do that in the first place. Makes me think she is calling the shots not the ortho. I'm paying way too much to be treated my an assistant. Yes, I'm still mad....