To make sure your teeth are coming along, you get checkups every six weeks or so. The point of this is to make sure your braces and other orthodontic materials are doing what they're supposed to.
Braces: During your checkup, your orthodontist will usually tighten your wires. First they use a little tool with a hook on the end to carefully take your bands off the brackets. You usually can pick a new color at this point, and they will provide you with samples for all color choices. Then they reach in the back of your mouth and pull the wire out from your brackets. Now they will get a stiffer wire and will measure and cut it so that it matches your old wire in length. When your orthodontist puts your new wire in, your teeth will probably be sore for a day or so, similar to when you first got your braces on. After the wire is in, they will trim the ends that stick out into your cheek. Be sure to tell the orthodontist if it is poking you or it will be a painful next six weeks. Don’t worry the process of tightening your wires doesn't hurt and you don't get your wire tightened every time!
Headgear: The orthodontist will usually make sure you are wearing it tight enough and that it sits properly.
Bands: They will usually give you thicker and tighter bands.
Photos: Sometime when you get a checkup, your orthodontist (in our experience) will take pictures of your teeth from straight on and sideways, open and closed. When they do this, the orthodontist will give you plastic cheek stretchers so that they can get a clear view of your teeth. They take the pictures so that they can track your progress.
Here are some tips to help you prepare for your checkup:
1. Brush and floss very thoroughly. Your orthodontist will get on your case if you have a bit of leftover breakfast in your braces.
2. Bring all of your orthodontic materials like your headgear, but you will probably not be required to bring your bands.
3. If you have bands, be sure to ask your orthodontist for more.
You get used to these checkups and they aren't a big deal. But they are important. If for some reason the orthodontist figures out that you aren't using the right equipment to fix your teeth you would probably want to know sooner than later!
-Erik and Amanda
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