"Curious, how often does everyone actually go back for check-ups after finishing treatment...is yearly too much or not enough?"
Honestly, yearly sounds pricey to me. My ortho never mentioned regular check-ups after I finished, just said to come back if something feels off. Haven't been back in over 3 yrs and teeth still look fine (knock on wood). Maybe it's just luck...or laziness on my part. Does anyone's ortho charge extra for these post-treatment visits?
My ortho recommended yearly check-ups, but honestly, after the first two years I stopped going. Felt like a quick glance and "everything looks good" wasn't worth the copay. Curious if anyone's had issues pop up later from skipping these visits?
"Felt like a quick glance and 'everything looks good' wasn't worth the copay."
I totally get where you're coming from with this. Honestly, I just finished treatment a few months ago and I'm already debating if I'll keep up with the yearly check-ups. Did your ortho mention anything specific they're checking for in these annual visits?
I'm a bit anxious about skipping them entirely though... I remember my ortho emphasizing how teeth can shift back slowly over time, even with retainers. It makes me wonder how noticeable those changes would be to us without a professional taking a look. Maybe those seemingly quick glances actually catch subtle shifts early on?
Has anyone experienced their teeth shifting back a lot after skipping these visits for a few years? Or maybe had issues with their retainers not fitting properly anymore? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to stick with regular check-ups or if I'm just being overly cautious (wouldn't be the first time, haha).
Also curious—did anyone have their ortho spot something unexpected during one of these follow-up appointments? Like a problem you hadn't noticed yourself yet? I'm new to this whole post-treatment phase, so any insights would definitely help calm my nerves a bit...
Honestly, I skipped a couple years of check-ups and didn't notice anything drastic. But then my retainer cracked randomly (thanks, midnight snack...), and when I finally went back, turns out my teeth had shifted slightly. Nothing major, but enough to annoy me now. Lesson learned, I guess.
I totally get where you're coming from with this. Retainers can be sneaky little things—one minute they're fine, and the next, you're staring at a crack thinking, "Wait, what just happened?" Midnight snacks are definitely a retainer's worst enemy (been there, done that... RIP my old retainer).
Honestly though, don't beat yourself up over it. Teeth shifting slightly after skipping check-ups is super common. Happened to me too—I thought I was good after braces, got lazy about appointments, and then noticed my front teeth weren't exactly where they used to be. It wasn't drastic enough for anyone else to notice, but once you see it yourself, it's hard to unsee.
The good news is, catching it now means you can probably keep things from moving further. And slight shifts are usually manageable without major intervention. A new retainer or minor adjustments might be all you need. It's great that you're aware of it now rather than later when things could've gotten trickier.
I know it's annoying right now (trust me, I've been annoyed at my own teeth plenty of times), but you're definitely not alone in this. Teeth are stubborn little things—they love to move around if we give them even the tiniest chance. At least you've learned something valuable from this experience, right? Sometimes that's the best we can ask for.
Hang in there—you're doing great by addressing it now!
