If you’ve recently started braces treatment, you’re already on your way to a healthier, straighter smile. Throughout this treatment, your Dripping Springs orthodontist will schedule regular checkups to tighten braces and keep your treatment moving forward. We will walk you through exactly what happens during your appointments and all the details about braces adjustment, so you’ll be ready.
Why Do Braces Need to Be Adjusted?
When you get braces fitted, you’ll notice that there’s a steady pressure on your teeth. That pressure is the driving force that moves your teeth into a better alignment. What happens is that as your teeth move, the pressure from your existing brackets and wires goes down.
This is where braces tightening comes in. We adjust your braces to make sure your teeth keep moving in the right direction.
If you don’t get your braces tightened or adjusted regularly, your teeth may stop moving as planned, which can delay your treatment.
What Happens During Your Braces Tightening Appointment?
Here’s what usually goes on when you visit our clinic in Dripping Springs for braces tightening:
Replacing Elastic Ties
The small brackets on your teeth have small bands or elastic ties around them that keep the main wire in place. We change them at every visit. Think of it as slipping off an old hair tie.
Checking your treatment progress
We take a close look at your teeth to see how much they have moved since your last visit. We also check your old scans or impressions to decide what kind of adjustment you need.
Adjusting or replacing your wire
This is the main step. After examining how well your treatment is progressing, our orthodontist either tightens the existing wire or replaces it with a new one.
You’ll feel some pressure on your teeth, almost the same as the first time you had your braces placed, or comparatively less. That’s normal. It disappears in a day or two.
Putting on new bands
We put new bands around your brackets to secure the wire. This is the fun part for many teens and adults because they get to choose the color of the ties they want! You can even choose clear ties if you don’t want any particular color.
How Often Do You Need to Get Your Braces Tightened?
We schedule adjustment visits every 4 to 6 weeks for those with metal braces. Sometimes we may call you sooner or later, depending on how your treatment progresses.
If a bracket becomes loose or a wire feels out of place, contact our office rather than waiting until your next appointment. Waiting till your next visit may make the problem worse.
To Wrap It Up
Keeping up with your braces tightening visits moves you another step closer to the perfect smile you want. If you have any orthodontic or braces-related concerns, consult our expert orthodontist, Dr. Brad Albertson, at Capital Springs Orthodontics today. Contact us at (512) 447-6453 to book a visit.