You’ve been waiting for this moment since the last few months. But then, when you visit your orthodontist, he tells you that you need to have your orthodontic braces on for a few more months!
Suddenly, your dream of flashing a flawless smile is still a few more months away. If you’re wondering why your orthodontist has asked you to keep your braces on, these might be a few reasons:
Missing Orthodontic Appointments
One of the most important parts of having orthodontic braces is that you need to visit the orthodontist regularly. You need to visit your orthodontist on a monthly or a bi-monthly basis, because you need to get certain things done to make sure your treatment plan is on track. Your braces may need to be continuously modified, either by tightening the wiring or adding braces or bands to bring your teeth forward or backward. With invisible aligners, you need a new tray for every time you go to an appointment. If you don’t keep up with your orthodontic appointments, for whatever reason, you might be wearing your braces for a longer time than necessary.
Your Treatment is Not on Track
Your orthodontist might have told you that your orthodontic braces may come off in a certain time at the start of your treatment. But now, you might have been told that you need to wear your braces for a little extra time. This can be because your teeth are firmly rooted in their jaw, and it might take an extended period of wearing braces to move them into place.
Once your teeth have been moved to their proper position, you should not remove your braces immediately. You have to give time for your muscles, bones, and teeth in your mouth to adjust to the new position of your teeth, and braces can help accelerate the process. It is generally advisable to wear your braces for 6 months after the right position has been set.
You Haven’t Been Following the Right Diet
When you are wearing orthodontic braces, you need to make some big life changes. This includes your diet too. It is recommended that you avoid hard/sugary/sticky or chewy foods like sweets, chips, soda and popcorn. Even sticky, chewy sweets like caramel and fudges can cause wire damage and loosen brackets.
If you haven’t been following the right diet, then, the chances are that you might need to wear your braces for an extended period of time.
Your Oral Hygiene Routine is Not on Track
You need to make sure you maintain a proper oral hygiene routine when you get orthodontic braces. An improper oral hygiene routine can cause a wide variety of problems starting from dental plaque and cavities. Bad oral hygiene can also cause more serious problems like gingivitis and dental plaque.
What Are the Risks If I Get My Orthodontic Braces off too Early
Sometimes, patients are really eager to get their braces off as early as possible because they think their teeth look fine now. Removing your braces before the required period of time can cause damage your teeth drastically. You can wear a retainer to make sure your teeth stay in proper position, but retainers are only as effective as a post-braces treatment.
This means you will have to spend a fortune again on correcting your misaligned teeth. You are not only investing more money to get a new set of orthodontic braces, but also investing more time to correct any damage you might have done to your teeth when you took off your braces too early. If you need to commit to an orthodontic treatment, it comes with its own set of pros and cons. The best way to make sure you have a smooth sailing orthodontic braces treatment is to invest in the right orthodontist. At Thurman Orthodontics, Fresno, trusted and top-rated orthodontists will make sure that you are on the right track for your orthodontic braces treatment.
Dr. Brian Thurman has spent his entire life enjoying all the beauty that California has to offer. A Fresno native, he still escapes to the ocean or the mountains whenever his busy schedule allows. Driven by his love for natural beauty, Dr. Thurman enjoys creating beautiful smiles and healthy bites that last a lifetime. He is proud to be the only Ivy League trained Orthodontist in the Fresno/Clovis area.