You’re about halfway through your child’s braces treatment when the orthodontist pulls you aside and tells you he’s going to change a few things. He’s previously given you the full plan, but now he’s going to be adding a few things like rubber bands or power chains.
Why is the treatment plan changing, and is this normal? At Wilson & Hendrickson Orthodontics, we try to stick with the original plan as much as possible, but we know things can change along the way. Our plans are based on the idea that teeth will move a certain way at a certain speed. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Slow-moving teeth, fast-moving teeth, patient compliance, and tooth root positioning can all change an orthodontic plan.
Is It Common for Plans to Change?
Orthodontists try to finalize a plan as much as possible before presenting it to patients and their parents. However, nearly every plan will have tweaks along the way. That’s normal as treatment proceeds.
Treatment plans are built off the information gathered at the initial consultation. This includes dental X-rays and digital imaging of the teeth and jaws. We use this information to create a plan, but the timing is only an estimate.
Many factors can change those estimates, so we may need to adjust as we go. While we try to keep as close to the original timeline as possible, we may adjust the treatment time to be a little shorter or a little longer than we originally assessed.
Why Change Braces Treatment Plans?
Why would we need to change your braces or Invisalign treatment plan? There are several factors that could require adjustments to your plan or timeline.
- A tooth or several teeth move slower or faster than predicted, which could shift the timeline.
- An underlying issue that wasn’t clear during the evaluation becomes clearer as treatment progresses, such as a tooth root’s position or a bite relationship that wasn’t obvious. (Learn more about complex braces cases.)
- The patient isn’t complying with wearing rubber bands, clear aligners, or headgear for the right amount of time, requiring a change to the timeline for a healthier result. (Here are 5 tips for making your braces treatment a success.)
- Growth-related changes emerge in youngsters whose jaws are still developing.
- A patient may have different goals or priorities halfway through and need a different or additional appliance.
These factors can change the timeline or approach to your orthodontic treatment.
How Growth and Biology Can Change Treatment
The younger the patient, the more growth and biology can change treatment. Their facial structure and jaws are still developing as they grow.
While we take these changes into account, we can’t always predict the growth accurately. Each patient is different and develops differently. We build in enough office visits to track and monitor growth and development in your child’s facial structure and jaws.
We stick with the plan until we notice unanticipated changes. Then, we make the adjustments necessary to keep your child’s treatment on track.
What about adult patients? Adult facial structure and jaws are essentially developed by age 20-22. So they need fewer adjustments during treatment.
What Changes Mean for the Treatment Timeline
Do these “tweaks” mean the timeline will be extended by weeks or even months? Will your child spend another year in braces? (If you’re wondering why braces take so long, we break it down on our blog.)
If we have to make changes, we make them with the original timeline in mind. That means we try to stick to that timeline as closely as possible. We know neither you nor your child wants to prolong treatment too much.
That is why we insist on office visits every few weeks, so we can make changes as soon as possible and keep treatment on track. Skipping appointments can delay those changes and make treatment take longer.
Ask us if you are unsure about any changes we’ve made. We encourage our patients and parents to ask anything about their treatment. It’s never a burden to us to answer your questions. We want to keep you informed! You can also browse our common orthodontic questions page.
FAQs About Treatment Changes
Does a treatment plan change mean my orthodontist made a mistake?
Will a treatment plan change always make my treatment longer?
Why do some patients' plans change more than others?
What should I do if I'm not sure why my plan changed?
Orthodontic Treatment in Topeka, KS
Braces and Invisalign treatment have timelines, but those timelines are estimates. They may be close to the final timeline, or they may need adjustments along the way that make them shorter or longer.
Wilson & Hendrickson Orthodontics provides orthodontic treatment in Topeka, KS. We try to stay as close to our original estimate as possible, but changes may be needed. We will happily explain those changes and why we are making them.
If you’re ready for braces or Invisalign treatment in Topeka, schedule an appointment with Wilson & Hendrickson Orthodontics. Let us show you what we can do and how long it will take to give you the smile of your dreams!
