Hey to all our students in treatment! Whether your teen is rocking through their smile journey or you’ve taken the plunge as an adult for your teeth straightening journey, we’re glad you’re here. As we go into the 2023 Fall school year, you may be more than ready to start seeing some significant movement with your teeth. We get it! Your orthodontic journey is an exciting one and you’d like to see some of your (and your orthodontic team’s) hard work pay off. The best way to start seeing your dream smile become a reality is by keeping your treatment on track. But how do you do that? Let’s find out!
Get ready braces wearers and clear aligner pals, because it’s time to get the valuable tips you’ll need to start seeing your dream smile progress.
How quickly can your teeth shift?
First of all, you may be wondering just how quickly your teeth begin to move after starting your orthodontic treatment. There’s various factors that affect the speed at which your teeth can move. Here’s a few to give you an idea:
- Your age. It’s true that kids and teens can experience shorter treatment times than adults. This is because bone tissue in adults is denser so it can take longer for your tooth roots to move through. (That’s also what makes early orthodontic treatment so important, because our orthodontists can work with your child’s natural growth and development to correct orthodontic problems).
- Your orthodontic condition(s). The severity and number of orthodontic conditions can make a big difference in how quickly your teeth shift too. For example, Dr. Nease, Dr. Thomas, Dr. Higginbotham, or Dr. Horvath may want to correct one orthodontic condition before another or address two at once.
- The type of orthodontic treatment you choose. Yes, your treatment option can have an effect on how quickly it takes your teeth to shift. While braces, Invisalign®, or Spark™ all apply the forces needed to accomplish healthy tooth movement, the recommendations from your orthodontist can help you make the best (or quickest) decision for your smile needs.
4 Tips for speeding up your orthodontic treatment
So we know a little about tooth movement and the factors that affect it, but isn’t there anything you as the patient can do to help speed things along? The answer is yes! Here’s 4 top tips for how you can hit the gas on your journey to your dream smile.
1. Start your treatment now!
If you haven’t started your treatment yet, the end of summer is a great time to begin! (Especially for kids since they tend to go through growth spurts in the summer.) The first step toward revealing your smile is a simple one…scheduling your free orthodontic exam with Nth Degree Orthodontics!
On the day of your exam, you’ll get to meet our friendly team and hear from one of our orthodontists about your smile journey options, including same day braces! This expedited option allows you or your teen to get your braces placed the same day as your consultation, speeding up your dream smile transformation and saving you from the hassle of coming back into the office. If you choose Spark or Invisalign clear aligners, our team will take a digital dental impression of your current smile using the advanced iTero® scanner. From there your smile scans will be sent straight to our lab to create your custom aligners and you’re one step closer to a healthier, beautiful smile!
2. Don’t miss your appointments
Students have a busy schedule, we know! And it can be tempting to miss an appointment or two, especially when you’re swamped with the back-to-school rush. While we want you to enjoy a stress-free time in school, it’s important to not let your orthodontic appointments pass by because missing appointments can slow down your smile progress. (And if you miss enough, it can put your dream smile in jeopardy!) So be mindful of your upcoming orthodontic appointments when you’re planning study groups and give us a call as soon as possible so we can try to work with your busy schedule.
Students in clear aligner treatment can also opt-in for virtual check-ins so you don’t have to worry about making it on time for your upcoming appointments. You’ll just let our team know you’d like to do virtual appointments and we’ll set you up with our Dental Monitoring app. Just like your school assignments, you’ll have a due date to submit your smile selfies and one of our orthodontists will message you to continue treatment as usual, make adjustments, or that it’s time for an in-office visit.
3. Take care of your teeth!
No matter which orthodontic treatment you choose, maintaining good oral hygiene is a must if you want to see the best possible smile results. Healthy teeth means healthy movement in the fall school year! Here’s a few tips to keep your smile bright and healthy during your smile transformation:
- Brush after meals and snacks. Use an ADA-approved toothbrush and toothpaste to brush your teeth after meals before popping your aligners back in. This helps remove food particles from your teeth and gums so they don’t become trapped in your braces or gunk up your aligners. Don’t forget to brush your orthodontic device (aka your aligners or brackets/wires) too! Just like bacteria can build up on your teeth, it also builds up on your aligners or brackets in the same amount of time.
- Floss once a day. Flossing helps remove bits of food and growing plaque stuck between your teeth. If you have braces, floss threaders and interdental brushes can be your best friends, helping you clean around wires and brackets with ease.
- Keep visiting your dentist too! Just because you have an orthodontist now, doesn’t mean you’ll stop seeing your family dentist. In fact, dentists play an important part in maintaining your oral health so be sure to see them every 6 months for a comprehensive dental exam and teeth cleaning.
4. Follow your treatment plan!
This tip is up there in importance with maintaining a strong oral hygiene routine…compliance is king! With braces and Invisalign wearers, following your treatment plan is crucial if you want to start seeing any smile progress. After all, if you don’t have your aligners in, they’re not applying the needed force to move your teeth into healthy alignment. The same can be said for wearing elastics with braces or clear aligners, regularly putting in and changing out your elastics help keep the momentum going!
So if your orthodontist gives you elastics to wear or tells you a prescribed amount of time to wear your aligners, you’ll want to comply if you want to see beautiful progress.
Still have questions about seeing smile progress before the end of the year?
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions!
While each person’s smile journey is unique, the fastest way to your dream smile is always through proper care, maintenance, and compliance! Follow these tips and you’ll be amazed by your transforming smile this fall 2023 school year.
If you’re looking for a top orthodontist in Gaffney, Union, Duncan, West Spartanburg or East Spartanburg, we’d love to meet you.
Request a complimentary exam for you or your child today!
