Getting Your Braces Taken Off

You did it! You’ve successfully reached the end of your orthodontic treatment and you are ready to gaze upon your bright and straight new smile. You’ve no doubt been anticipating this moment for quite some time, so it can be easy to think the work is all done. However, there is a little bit more to address in order to maintain your pristine new smile. Here is what to expect when your braces are removed and how to keep your smile looking great.

Getting Your Braces Taken off

You might be intimidated a little bit at the idea of getting your braces taken off. When you visit your orthodontist to get your braces removed, however, you’ll find the process is surprisingly smooth and quick. Your orthodontist will simply use a special tool to quickly remove your braces from your teeth. While the tool looks a bit like pliers, they are more gentle than they look. This tool reaches underneath your brackets and clips your braces off of the dental cement that has been holding them on your teeth.

After your braces have been taken off, your orthodontist will take a polishing tool, similar to the one dentists use when you get your teeth cleaned, and carefully polish off the remaining dental cement. The whole process takes only a few minutes, and you’ll be able to see your brand new straight smile!

Caring for Your Teeth After Braces

While you may be tempted to go straight back into eating all of the foods you were restricted from while your braces were on, it’s important to ease back into them. Your teeth will probably be sensitive for a few weeks after your braces are taken off due to the enamel being exposed. Because of this, you should wait to eat exceptionally crunchy foods until your tooth sensitivity subsides. In addition, very hot or very cold foods should also be avoided, as your teeth will likely be sensitive to these foods as well.

When your braces are removed, don’t be too surprised if you notice white spots on your teeth where the brackets were. This happens as a result of food staining your teeth around your braces, leaving your teeth with two tones. While you may want to correct this right away by getting teeth whitening, you should put this off for a few weeks until your teeth aren’t sensitive anymore. Teeth whitening treatments can cause some discomfort sometimes, which can increase after you get your braces taken off.

Wearing a Retainer

Of course, you’ll want to actually keep your teeth looking straight once your braces have been removed. To do this, you will want to make sure to wear your retainer as prescribed by your orthodontist. In some cases, this may involve wearing a retainer throughout the day for a period of time. However, most likely you will need to wear your retainer for only part of the day, which means many patients can simply wear them at night. It’s important to take good care of your retainer and to keep track of it, but if you do lose it, be sure to make an appointment with your orthodontist right away to get a new one. You should also make an appointment soon after you get your braces removed to make sure your teeth are doing well and you are retaining your progress.

Contact Crescent Orthodontics today to learn more about orthodontic treatment and to schedule your free consultation.