Getting your braces off is a big deal. Your teeth have moved into place, your smile is ready to be unmasked, and you can finally look forward to biting into a whole apple instead of having to dice it. Removing your teeth straighteners should be straightforward, but you can encounter a few variations in how and when things happen.
Timing
Our orthodontist will remove the brackets from the teeth that don’t need to move anymore — which varies for everyone and can leave you with partial braces for a while. It’s common for one jaw to have braces removed before the other, or for the front teeth to keep braces on while the molars and cuspids are freed.
If you’re getting braces off and you’re told that you need to keep the brackets and wires on certain teeth for a while longer, you still won’t have long to go until your entire mouth is brace-free.
Process
When it’s time, all the rubber bands and wires will be removed from your braces. Then, the little brackets will be pulled off; the cement holding them to each tooth was strong, but not so strong that they can’t be pulled off. Note that it does not hurt to have your braces removed. You may feel a little pressure on your teeth when you’re getting braces off, but this shouldn’t hurt at all.
If any brackets will remain on your teeth a while longer, the orthodontist will add a shortened wire and rubber bands to the remaining brackets. When all of the brackets are off your teeth, you’ll receive a retainer to help keep your teeth in place. You may end up with a permanent retainer behind your bottom front teeth; this is simply a thin bar that is cemented to the backs of your teeth.
Wearing Your Retainer
It’s important that you wear your retainer, especially at night. Your teeth can still be susceptible to movement after those years when you had brackets and wires pulling them around. (This is why, if you don’t wear your retainer for a while, it might feel a little tight the next time you wear it — your teeth have started to move a tiny bit again). Our orthodontist will let you know for how long you need to wear a removable retainer.
M. Scott Runnels Orthodontics offers braces and brace removal. We are conveniently located in Destin and Inlet Beach, FL, and we also serve residents in Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Freeport, Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Panama City Beach, and Panama City. Contact us today to schedule your appointment!
What Happens When You Get Your Braces Off?
