We’ve been perfecting smiles for a long time and one thing that we know for sure – no one wants to wear their braces for longer than they have to. One of the questions we’re frequently asked is how to make sure that you’re in braces for the least amount of time possible. Here are our tips!
Show up (on time) for ALL of your appointments
We know that this one seems pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised just how much missing even a single appointment can extend your treatment time. Emergencies happen, but please do your best to make it to every single appointment on time.
Don’t damage your braces
Again, this one seems like a no-brainer, and we understand that accidents happen. But there are several things you can do to make sure that your braces, brackets and wires don’t get broken, which can make treatment times longer. For more info on tips for taking good care of your braces, click HERE.
Make sure to follow all your treatment instructions
There are a lot of instructions that we’ll give you throughout the course of your treatment – like wearing your rubber bands or appliances, for instance. Nothing is very difficult, but failing to follow the instructions can really increase the amount of time you’ll have to wear your braces. After your braces are off, make sure to wear your retainer exactly as we tell you. This is especially important between phases 1 and 2.
Brush and floss
Keeping your teeth clean is a very important part of wearing braces and getting them off in a timely manner. For tips on how to brush and floss most efficiently with braces, click HERE.
Safeguard your smile
Damage to your braces, brackets, wires or even your teeth is a common reason for extended treatment times. Make sure to wear your mouth guards during any physical activity and always wear your retainers to maintain your post-braces smile.
Know what to do in an orthodontic emergency
Call our office immediately in an orthodontic emergency where you experience broken braces or wires that are poking you AND causing discomfort. If something breaks, but nothing hurts, then it’s not an emergency and can typically wait until normal business hours to be fixed. Check out some at-home quick fixes you can try until we can get you in HERE. If you have a mouth injury or trauma that causes you to go to the hospital, please call our office even if it is after hours. There will be a number to call if the office is closed.
Following all of these easy to-dos will ensure that you don’t spend any extra time wearing braces and be that much closer to your new smile!
