Braces are more than a key to achieving your dream smile; they also teach you the value of discipline and consistency. No wonder why these appliances come with responsibility. In addition to maintenance, regular adjustments and tightening are also necessary with braces.
This is to ensure your smile becomes more beautiful every time you meet Dr. Moon Joe and his expert team at Moon Orthodontics.
It’s true that you’ll feel a slight discomfort with your newly adjusted braces. But don’t be afraid, because we’re here to help you understand why we need to adjust and tighten your braces.
Why Does My Orthodontist Tighten and Adjust My Braces?
The gentle pressure the braces apply on your teeth enables them to move and align in place. Because of that, the archwire that connects and binds the brackets together becomes looser over the following weeks.
To ensure your braces remain tight and in excellent condition, Dr. Moon adjusts your braces every four to six weeks. Regular adjustments also allow our team to detect and address unexpected problems during treatment as well as apply the correct pressure on your teeth.
Since patients in Overland Park and Olathe have unique needs, goals, family histories, and orthodontic problems with varying degrees of severity, the frequency of braces adjustment varies between individuals.
If you have a complex case of dental crowding, for example, you may have to visit Moon Orthodontics more frequently for adjustment and closer monitoring of your teeth’s movement.
What If I Didn’t Get Adjustments for My Braces?
Since regular adjustments are pivotal to your treatment’s success, not having your braces adjusted delays your progress and makes the components prone to breakage — causing unwanted movement in teeth. Hence, it’s important to follow Dr. Moon’s recommended adjustment schedule to ensure your smile journey is going smoothly as planned.
How Are Braces Tightened and Adjusted?
Braces adjustment is an integral part of your treatment journey. By regularly dropping by our Overland Park or Olathe office, we can check if your teeth are moving into alignment. From conventional braces to Damon braces, here’s how we tighten and adjust each brace type:
Traditional Braces and Nickel-Free Braces: Dr. Moon tightens and adjusts your braces by removing the elastic ligatures and archwire from the appliance. After our team assesses your teeth’s position, we will attach a new archwire or use your old one. New elastics will be attached to the brackets to secure the archwire.
Gold Braces: Gold braces are built similarly to metal braces, except they have a gold archwire and brackets. Like traditional braces, the archwire and elastics will be replaced during your appointment.
Damon Brackets: Unlike traditional braces, Damon braces feature a spring-load mechanism instead of metal or elastic ligatures. This mechanism is attached to each bracket to stabilize and tighten the wire during treatment.
However, like traditional braces, Damon braces still need to be adjusted — albeit less frequently, around every 8 to 10 weeks. Since they don’t have elastics, Dr. Moon and his team will only replace the archwire.
What Do I Need to Do After Having My Braces Adjusted?
While the slight pressure sensation on your teeth is normal, we list four ways to help you cope with the first few days of your braces adjustment:
Be Extra Mindful of Your Dietary Choices: No hard bread or chips for now. Apart from the possibility of damaging the wire and brackets of your braces, these kinds of foods are also hard to chew. We recommend consuming the following instead:
- Pasta
- Soft fruits and vegetables
- Dairy
- Soup
- Oatmeal
- Scrambled eggs
Preparing steamed, roasted, or baked meals is also beneficial post-adjustment since they’re easy on the teeth.
Apply An Ice Pack: An ice pack is your DIY savior. For maximum relief, we recommend placing an ice pack on your face for 10 to 20 minutes. Avoid placing an ice cube on your skin without wrapping it in a cloth or towel. Sucking on an ice cube is a good idea, too. However, chewing it may damage your braces.
Use A Heating Pad: Heating pads or a warm washcloth work just as well as ice packs, providing relief in as little as 10 to 20 minutes. Using a combination of heat and cold relief is also effective in easing the sensation, but this depends on your needs.
Gargle With Salt Water: The metal components of your braces may rub against the inside of your mouth. So to ensure your comfort post-braces adjustment, we suggest gargling with salt water. Place a half teaspoon of salt in a glass of water and rinse your mouth for 60 seconds. Make sure to gargle every few hours each day to relieve the discomfort.
Regardless of what you do, this heavy sensation will subside within days.
Time to Love Your Smile
Getting braces is not about instant gratification. While this treatment involves months of regular adjustment and tightening, every appointment you go to brings you closer to achieving a stunning smile.
If you’re just getting started on your orthodontic journey, we’re here to assist you. Contact our Overland Park or Olathe office or complete our online form, and we’ll look forward to your first free consultation with us.