We Hear This Question All The Time

“Why do I have to get my braces tightened?” is a question we commonly hear from our patients. While it may feel like your braces are tightening around your teeth, we are actually adjusting the wire. It’s important to keep up with these routine adjustments for a number of reasons, including monitoring your teeth to ensure they’re moving into their desired position, and making sure the braces are functioning correctly. Read on to learn more about the importance of keeping up with regular visits.

Depending on your specific case, we usually see our metal braces patients about every 6 weeks. Braces work by putting consistent pressure on the teeth, which causes them to move. Adjusting the braces ensures that there is the right amount of pressure so that the braces can do their job.

During your visit we will take the bands off the brackets that hold the wire in place. We then remove the wire and examine your teeth. Depending on how your teeth have moved, we will either replace the wire or reuse the existing one. While this sounds simple, the braces are working hard and we want to make sure they are in good shape.

Without these adjustments, your teeth would get used to the same pressure and would stop moving. That’s why if you miss an appointment, it’s important to reschedule as soon as you can to maintain the progress of your treatment.

If you have any questions about your treatments, please feel free to reach out to us anytime.