6 month cleaning

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#1 Post by **OneTime** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 3:57 pm

Do you go in for the 6 month cleaning? The reason I'm asking is I don't know if I should go in...The last time they had the assistant do it and it wasn't that great. It was rather short, very short and a waste.
Is the cleaning effective with braces on? Can they get this small spaces?
It has been a while(a year) since since I have gone

#2 Post by **iBorg** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:21 pm

most orthos expect you to mauntain your regular dental appointments as part of their contract with you. I'd go if for no other reason to have an uninterested professional evaluate the progress and overall condition of my teeth.

Mike

#3 Post by **OneTime** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:31 pm

I wanted the hygienist to do it, but that day she was busy so the assistant ask if she can. She did and was poor at it.

#4 Post by **platinum** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:40 pm

when i go to have cleanings i want the dentist check the condition of my gums. last one was made by the dentist, it took 2 hours. Well, i have not had a cleaning ever before in my life...

#5 Post by **turrrtlelove22** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:47 pm

I have not done a 6 month cleaning while in braces, but from what the orthodontist told me and stuff I read on here. While in braces getting that cleaning is very important, even more so than when you don't have braces. The assistant did my cleaning and x-rays as well and then the dentist just comes in and checks over things. The same as at the orthodontist.

I'm thinking that it is effective and that they can get into the small spaces cuz they can see and manuever into spaces that you can't. I was told that if I let the orthodontist know when my 6 month cleaning was, then I could go in to get my wire taken off, that way I could get a better cleaning. So maybe that could be something you could ask about? Hope it works out...

#6 Post by **lionfish** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:01 pm

Both my dentist and ortho suggested I go in for regular 6 monthly cleanings, for the same reasons that turrrtle mentions.

#7 Post by **Jillianleab** » Fri Jan 05, 2007 5:14 pm

I go in every four months, per my dentist's request. I'm going in next week, actually. The first cleaning I got was done by the asst/hygenist and it wasn't the best I've ever gotten, but I know it's important for me to go in. My dentist has a really small practice, so I'm hoping she will do my cleaning this time!

It's important to maintain your teeth and gums while in braces, including the bi-annual cleanings. No one wants those white spots!

#8 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 5:00 pm

Hmm I never thought of that, I will have my 6 month cleaning this Monday and will not have wires out. I will ask my dentist/hygenist if they prefer to keep the wire in or have the wire removed then I can have them cordinate there schedules together where if they want the wire removed go in have it removed, go get cleaning, go back for wire to be placed back in.

SDFD TSchott

#9 Post by **joney** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 5:06 pm

Even before I had braces I went every three months to the hygienist as I am a smoker. She is the best hygienist I've ever had and I've been for one cleaning in braces. I plan to continue to see her every 3 months for the rest of my brace treatment and beyond.

Regards
Joney

#10 Post by **Stich** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:47 pm

My ortho told me to do six month cleanings and so far I have had two. My ortho is right next door to my dentist so it has been easy to go in and get the wires removed and put back in when finished. My dentist was the one to convince me to get braces and he is impressed each time I have been in on my progress...so that makes it motivating. The hygenist actually had a harder time cleaning my teeth before braces because they were so crowded...it is an easier experience now that 4 teeth are missing and things have straightened up.

Becky

#11 Post by **srg1977** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:33 pm

It was actually my hygenist that recommended I come in every 4 months. I can do that because my insurance pays for so-many "units of time" per year, and the more regularly I go in, the less units it takes for each visit. Plus, the hygenist that I normally go to has just finished her own treatment and we go to the same orthodontist, so she totally understands about teeth being sore or other cleaning questions I have. Unfortunately for me, she's going on maternity leave for 1 year right away.

Anyway, it didn't make a difference during my cleaning whether the wire was in or not, but I've learned to get the cleaning done PRIOR to the next adjustment (even if it's just the day before). It's normally just too painful to get scaling done after a new wire gets put in.

#12 Post by **Catmom** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:22 am

I'm in for a double whammy tomorrow - 1st adjustment at 9:30 a.m. and first cleaning while braced at 12:00 p.m. This should be good for a few days of soft food, knowing how sensitive my mouth is!!!

I see my hygenist every 3 months and will continue to do so while braced. I've had mild gum disease in the past and don't want to go there again.

#13 Post by **M1k3y** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 10:31 am

I have my teeth cleaned every 6 months no matter what. My hygienist always does my cleaning. The cleaning is more for the plaque along the gum line which is extremely important. You don't want to hurt your gums and deteriorate it's health. The other cleaning is flossing on your part.

#14 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Mon Jan 08, 2007 2:41 pm

6 MONTH CLEANING UPDATE!

Today January 8, 2007 I had my 6-month cleaning at the dentist/hygenist office. I get there at 9:45 when the appointment is at 10am. I love to get there early so that way I can usually get in there early get things done and get out quicker. Today wasn't that time.

I get there at 9:45am and was called in at 10:10am 10 minutes after my appointment time. I go into the back and we walk towards the x-ray machine and take 8 x-rays, 3 on the right side, 3 on the left, one of the upper jaw and one of the lower jaw. x-rays are done and now off to another room for the cleaning. I get in the room sit down and next thing I know I have to wait for 30 minutes just because there compressers for there drills went down and they were fixing it. I was asked if I wanted to wait in the chair until it was up and running or come back later when its running. I decided I don't have to be anywhere until 3pm so I chose to wait in the chair.

Alright now that its done I finally get the cleaning done and was told that I have to go back to the dentist on Monday to get a cavity filled other then that I had EXCELLENT ORAL HYGINE! Wow I actually did better then last time Well thats it for now I will post on Monday for the filling of the cavity, and tuesday for the ortho adjustment.

01/15/07: Cavity filled at 9am
01/16/07: Ortho adjustment number 3

SDFD TSchott

#15 Post by **BracedBelle** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 1:51 pm

I went for a cleaning right before I got my bottoms on in October and discovered that I have 2 tiny cavities on bottom teeth. There was no way to delay getting my bottom braces on without a huge hassle, so I got them on anyway.

In December I scheduled one appt to get a cavity filled. I had to call back and forth 3 times between the ortho and dentist (across town by 30 minutes) to coordinate getting my wire off in the morning, cavity filled, wire back on in the afternoon.

I'll be doing the second one in a couple of days, same story. It takes all day and drives me nuts! My boss gets frustrated - instead of a couple of hours for a cavity filling it takes me all day.

And this time around I need new wires, but in all of Jan & Feb it was impossible to schedule a cavity filling and an ortho appt on the same day. So I need one day off for the 3 cavity-related appts, and then I have a half day off the following week for archwire replacements. Ugh!

And I'll soon be due for a cleaning again. I'm going to run out of 2007 "personal days" by April at this rate!