Signs the braces are almost off?

[senecastudent]

In November 2015, my ortho put my braces on, with an expected 24 month treatment time. In November 2016, I had double jaw surgery. I was expecting the usual 6 months of braces following jaw surgery, especially because I healed so quickly and everything looked so good--I was cleared for downhill skiing by 8 weeks after my surgery, for example

Anyway, here we are at 9 months post surgery, and for the past three months, the only thing my orthodontist will tell me is "maybe we can take them off a little before your expected date" of November. One of the assistants in the office had told me "probably late spring/summer" back in March.

So my question is, if my orthodontist won't give me any sort of firm update on my progress, what signs can I look for to know I'm getting close to the end? In May, I had progress x-rays taken and a few brackets were repositioned; I've apparently had my final wires on since late June. Did your orthodontist do anything differently in the appointments before your braces came off and is there ever any indication that they'll be coming off, or do they just slap you with a debrace date once you make it to the end?

If I weren't looking to get a job and relocate out of the area, I would be fine with waiting indefinitely. However, my braces saga is the last thing keeping me at the job/area I'm at right now, and my whole life is on hold until I either have them off or have a timeframe for when they'll be off, and it's difficult to plan anything on "maybes"

[Tyrantblade]

Well at my last 2 appointments they said everything is looking very good and soon they might be able to make my debrace date

On Tuesday they gave me a debrace date in November.

It just depends on how much you still need done and if you are doing your part (ie Elastics/rubber bands) and besides that its not really in your control; things will happen at their own pace.

For me im about 3 months behind the estimated treatment time to get my braces removed.

Just hold in there, do your part, and hopefully they can soon give you a debrace date; which may end up being more like early next year if things are going a little slow.

[rachelash]

for me it was really just smaller and smaller adjustments (detailing), whether it be say, 3 wire bends or just a simple bracket reposition. there's no sure way to tell, but if you notice less and less changes, it means you're closer to getting them off. good luck!

[djspeece]

Mine was very circumspect as well. The good news came in two doses in my case. First, he started tweaking the archwires with specific bends here and there. This happened about 4 months before debracing, although I did not realize there was a time connection (i.e., he didn't say something like "Well in four months you'll be ready to have them off.") The second happy moment was when he said about two months later, "OK at the next appointment we'll make impressions for your retainer, and then two weeks later the braces come off."
I had a scare at the appointment for impressions. As the assistant was removing the powerchains and elastics, she noticed that this caused a very small but perceptible gap between my two front teeth -- had never had anything like this happen at any other appointment in the previous three years. The tech frowned and said "Uh oh" and I thought "OK this is payback from the gods of orthodontics for eating forbidden treats" and vowed never again to eat strawberry licorice twizzlers if only my braces could come off sometime soon. However the ortho strapped them together with a wire ligature from bracket to bracket and I then had the impressions made, and the wire removed. That was nearly two years ago. It is a rather vivid memory for me.
Best of luck to you!