Continuation of Braces

Continue braces treatment? You might be moving in to a new place and you want your braces to continue with a different dentist this time. Perhaps it’s a change in career, lifestyle or life transition. Whichever is the case, in this page you’ll learn your options. You’ll also learn the concerns encountered by fellow patients with similar cases.

Going to a different orthodontist

A change of location often requires a change of dentist. Many relocation situations often occur very far from the previous home. For convenience and other reasons, you need to visit a different dentist.

When you visit a different dentist, here are a few things you should expect:

Restart or back to zero (braces removal and placing new ones)
Additional costs because of upfront charges when restarting
Additional treatment time
Continuation of your original braces treatment

First, it’s possible that the present dentist will remove your brackets and braces. Then, the dentist will replace them with new ones (appliances where the dentist has more familiarity and expertise).

This could result to additional costs (upfront costs in placing the braces) and additional treatment time. It’s like a reset wherein everything’s back to where it started.

It’s also possible that the dentist you’ll chose would just continue with the original treatment. This could save you time and money. You might be getting the desired results at the expected time even if you have a different dentist now.

However, it still depends on the results of the initial assessments and your existing dental records. The dentist should provide you with options and complete information before changing or continuing your original braces treatment. After all, remember that additional costs and time are at stake here.

What are your options?

Braces are still the most common form of straightening teeth and correcting misaligned bites. These braces work by applying pressure to the teeth and jaws. The repeated application of pressure may make the teeth and jaws slowly move into desired positions.

Back then, braces are only composed of metal brackets and placed in front of the teeth. But due to recent dental progress, braces can now be placed at the back of the teeth (making the braces less noticeable). The dentist might also recommend plastic or ceramic braces.

There are advantages to each option. Your new dentist may inform you of these methods. For instance, you might now prefer having the braces at the back of your teeth. This will make the braces less noticeable while they’re still doing their work of correcting your teeth’s alignment.

An even less noticeable option is the use of invisible “trays” (or Invisalign). These clear removable trays can gradually move the teeth into their correct position. Your new dentist might recommend this option if this is appropriate for your case (Invisalign is often appropriate for people who only require simple orthodontic work).