Our patients at Farr West Orthodontics hate the thought of delaying their treatments and often ask us what they can do in between their adjustment to help. Today, Dr. Michael Richards and our team wanted to provide some tips on how you can stay on track in with your treatment plan time.
The first thing is keep your adjustment appointments. Each visit with Dr. Richards is carefully planned to move your teeth a certain way in a specific time frame. It’s important to realize that missing an appointment can add weeks or even months to your orthodontic treatment time.
Next, we want you to let Dr. Richards and our team know right away if you experience any problems with your braces. A missing wire, rubber band, or broken bracket can delay treatment time, so we ask that you please give us a call right away to report any problems rather than waiting until your next appointment.
Make sure you wear your rubber bands as prescribed by Dr. Richards. Most, if not all, of our patients will need to wear elastics or rubber bands at some point during their treatment. Not wearing the elastics, or not wearing them enough, can slow down your treatment time. Rubber bands are crucial in aligning your bite and getting it to fit together correctly.
Finally, we want you to maintain good oral hygiene. In addition to flossing regularly, we encourage you to brush your teeth multiple times a day. Not brushing will slow down tooth movement, as well as increase your risk of developing cavities or tooth decay, which will inevitably delay treatment time. The last thing you want is a beautiful smile with stains on your teeth.
If you have any questions about any of these tips, or if you have any general questions about your treatment, please call the office or ask Dr. Richards during your next visit!