How many appointments does treatment take, and how much school or work will I miss?

What sets the number of visits

Three choices in a treatment plan shape how often you come in, and your orthodontist settles each for your case after the exam.

Braces, adjusted in the office

Braces call for hands-on visits: the AAO says the orthodontist periodically adjusts the wires and, at each visit, checks progress and the health of the teeth and gums. The AAO describes newer wires as “engineered to last longer and apply pressure for a greater period of time.” The American Dental Association (ADA) says newer materials usually require fewer adjustments. How often a braces patient comes in is set by the orthodontist for that case.

Clear aligners, given out several at a time

Clear aligners change the rhythm of visits: unlike braces, the AAO says, aligners are provided several at a time, which can significantly cut how often you come in. Carvalho & Roth Orthodontics offers Invisalign clear aligners and Invisalign Teen, and whether aligners suit your case is part of the treatment plan your orthodontist recommends after the exam.

Photo check-ins between visits

The AAO raises remote monitoring for clear aligner treatment: “Some orthodontic offices offer remote monitoring options that can minimize the number of appointments needed in person.” Carvalho & Roth Orthodontics runs a remote program for its Invisalign patients, who send photos from a phone app between visits so the doctors can follow their progress. Whether your plan can use it is settled at the consultation, and the practice’s page on remote dental monitoring explains how the program works.

The visits no plan skips

In-person visits remain, and the AAO says so: “While there have been significant advancements in orthodontics, in-person visits are still needed.” The AAO’s braces page adds a rule of its own: “Never skip your scheduled appointments for adjustments and cleaning.” What happens at home between visits is on the practice’s page about the brushing and flossing routine.

Unplanned visits are the other variable. The AAO says things occasionally happen to braces or aligners that may require a call or an unforeseen visit, and that a lost aligner or a loose bracket can set treatment back. The practice’s list of hard and sticky foods shows how they can break or loosen brackets, and its emergency info page says to tell the office, which decides whether a problem needs a visit now.

Adults fitting visits around work can expect some soreness after an adjustment, which the AAO calls normal; the post asking whether adult braces are more painful than teen braces compares the two.

Planning the longest visits around school

Putting braces on and taking them off are the visits to plan around: the AAO says they will likely be scheduled during the work day, and that you should be fine going to work or school on the day braces go on. Families who would rather start outside the school year can read the practice’s post on starting braces in the summer, and the page on the first week with braces follows that first day and the meals after it.

Questions that settle your count at the consultation

Your own count follows from your treatment plan: the AAO says your orthodontist estimates the length of treatment after the exam, and the practice’s first consultation page describes an initial examination, then a walk through the type of treatment and its length. Questions worth bringing to the consultation:

• Which appliance fits my case, and how often would each one bring me in?
• Could remote monitoring replace some office visits in my plan?
• Which visits will take longest, and when are they usually booked?
• What should I do if a bracket comes loose between visits?