During your orthodontic treatment, you will have to pay regular visits to your orthodontist so that he can monitor your progress and make sure everything is going as planned.
Why do I have to visit my orthodontist during treatment?
Your teeth and oral structures change and shift significantly during your treatment. To make sure that everything is progressing as it should be, your orthodontist will have to carefully monitor them. If you are wearing braces (instead of Invisalign), the wires will beed adjusted or "tightened" during these appointments so that they can move continue the tooth movement process. These adjustments essentially re-position your braces, so that the next phase of your treatment can commence.
Patients with braces need to visit the orthodontist more often than Invisalign patients, both for adjustments, and to have their orthodontic elastics changed out. This has to be done on a regular basis so that your braces stay tight, and continue to do their job straightening your teeth.
A positive to the frequent elastics changes is that you can select a new colour for them each time. Orthodontic elastics come in nearly every colour of the rainbow, and you can choose a different colour each time!
Depending on what your orthodontist's finds during your checkup and exam, he may adjust the projected timing of your orthodontic treatment as well.
And finally, regular checkups with your orthodontist will allow him to monitor your overall oral health, and advise you on how to care for your teeth, gums and orthodontic appliances as your treatment progresses.
Do I still need to see my dentist as well?
Definitely. Just like usual, your dentist will still need to perform cleanings and checkup every six months, so that your teeth stay healthy and strong during your orthodontic treatment.
