Monthly vs. six-week ortho check-ins: which works better for you?

I totally get the anxiety part. My kiddo’s been in braces for about a year now, and honestly, those monthly appointments felt like they came around way too fast. I’d barely catch my breath before we were back in that waiting room, trying to keep him calm (and bribing with milkshakes after).

About the six-week check-ins - here’s how it went for us:

1. The ortho said it’s not for every case, but for steady progress, six weeks was fine. My kid’s teeth didn’t shift backward or anything, but I did notice the treatment seemed to stretch out a bit longer than the original estimate. Not by a ton, but still.
2. Less frequent visits = less stress for both of us. Huge win on that front.
3. The only hiccup was when a wire popped loose and we had to go in between appointments anyway... Murphy’s Law, right?

“The six-week thing is tempting, but I worry that maybe my teeth would shift back or not move as planned?”

Totally valid worry. In our case, things kept moving in the right direction, but I’d say if you’re prone to broken brackets or wires, you might end up there more often anyway. For us, the extra breathing room between visits was worth it, even if it took a little longer overall.

I totally relate to that “Murphy’s Law” moment - my bracket popped off the night before a big family trip, and of course, we had to scramble for an emergency visit. For me, the six-week check-ins felt less overwhelming, but I did notice my teeth seemed to move a bit slower. I guess it’s a trade-off: less stress vs. maybe a slightly longer timeline. Honestly, I’d rather have fewer appointments if it means less juggling with work and life. But yeah, if you’re someone who tends to have issues with wires or brackets, those “in-between” visits are almost inevitable...

That’s pretty much been our experience too. My kid’s ortho switched us to six-week intervals after the first few months, and honestly, it took a load off my schedule. But we did have one of those “why now?” bracket emergencies during finals week - never fails. I will say, the slower progress was noticeable, especially when we missed a check-in due to illness. Still, with all the school activities, I’d rather deal with the occasional extra visit than try to squeeze in monthly appointments. It’s just less chaos overall, even if it drags things out a bit.

We had a similar switch to six-week visits, and I totally get the relief on the schedule front. The only hiccup for us was when my daughter’s wire popped out right before a big dance recital - timing is never on our side. Progress did slow a bit, but honestly, less stress made up for it. I’d rather have a random emergency than juggle monthly appointments with everything else going on.