What is the Purpose of an Orthodontic Observation or Recall Appointment?

Moms and dads have busy schedules. Picking their children up from school and taking them to the orthodontist is no small task. Sometimes the appointments are very short and seemingly meaningless. One of these appointments is the observation or recall visit. These appointments are usually less than 15 minutes and many wonder if they are necessary at all. Recall or observation appointments are very important, and here’s why…

Observation or recall visits are scheduled for orthodontic patients who are either not yet quite ready for braces or have had an interceptive phase of treatment and are waiting for their remaining permanent teeth to come in so they can finish. The orthodontist may take a progress x-ray at this appointment to help him evaluate your child’s dental development. There are a few things that I look for when your son or daughter is in my chair.

The first objective of this appointment is to evaluate the loss of primary teeth and the eruption of the permanent replacements. Losing primary teeth on time and in the right order can help the permanent teeth come in straighter. Evaluating the loss of primary teeth and the eruption of permanent ones doesn’t take much time, but ignoring developing problems can add months or years to a patient’s orthodontic treatment.

The second objective of an observation appointment is to counsel with the family about the timing of the next phase of treatment. My philosophy is that I will begin no treatment before a patient is ready. This might mean waiting a few months or even years. If we start too early, your son or daughter may have the braces on too long. If we wait too long, we might miss the opportunity to keep treatment as short as possible or end up extending it into the prom or graduation years of high school (not popular with patients or their families).

Having your orthodontist follow your child’s development will help them receive the care they need when they need it. Although they are short and sometimes seem like a wasted trip, your orthodontist knows exactly what to look for at an observation or recall appointment and will make sure that your child is progressing towards an excellent orthodontic result. Next time your son or daughter has an observation visit with your orthodontist, make sure to ask for an explanation of the things he was looking for and what he found. I think you’ll find that these short, to-the-point appointments are as important as any you’ll ever have.