Initial Bonding Visit (60-70 Minutes)
At your initial bonding appointment, we will start the placement of your appliances. Your teeth are prepped for the braces and they are then carefully bonded with special glue on each tooth. Whenever possible we will use an indirect bonding process to place your initial brackets. Watch Video on Indirect Bonding.
In cases where the teeth are erupting and moving rapidly we may use a direct bonding procedure where the brackets are placed individually at the bonding appointment. As this is such a critical step in the entire process, we will invest time in the smallest details to achieve the best results. Watch Video on Direct Bonding.
In many cases we will use orthodontic bands around the teeth to allow for the construction of orthodontic appliances. To make it more comfortable to place the orthodontic bands, Separators can be placed between the teeth. As most people's teeth do not have spaces between them, it would very difficult to place bands without creating these spaces. Separators should be in for a week before placing bands and if they fall out you will need to book another visit to have them replaced.
In the first few days after this appointment your mouth may be sore due to the pressure and initial tooth movement. Additionally, the braces will initially feel quite bulky to your lips and cheeks until you adjust. You may wish to take Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or whatever you normally take for similar discomfort and eat a soft diet as you adjust to life with braces.
Adjustment Visits (30 Minutes)
Visiting us about every four to eight weeks is an important part of your orthodontic treatment. During these visits we will track your progress and make any necessary adjustments to your braces by way of wire changes, adding springs, introducing elastic bands, or other adding other accessories to your braces. Our practice will work with you to make sure that your appointments are as convenient as possible.
Debanding Visit (45 Minutes In The Morning And 30 Minutes That Afternoon)
Once the active phase of treatment is completed a debanding appointment is made to remove your braces. You may experience some slight discomfort when having the braces removed, but there is no pain involved in this process.
Your teeth are then polished to remove any adhesive from their surfaces and we will take new impressions of your teeth to make a retainer. After this visit you’ll be grinning from ear to ear with your new and improved smile! During the day your retainers will be fabricated and in the afternoon we will see you again to insert your retainers and give you instructions for their care and use.
Retention Visits (10-15 Minutes)
We will ask you to return to the office three times during the first year after your retainers are removed. We will schedule appointments at 2, 6, and 12 months after your braces have been removed. It is extremely important that retainers are worn as directed to prevent the teeth from shifting as they are stabilizing.
Typically we will ask you to wear your retainers full time for 6 months after the braces are removed. At the 6 month mark if your teeth have stabilized we may recommend that you continue wearing the retainers at night time.