No more braces! My son finished his first phase of treatment.
My son enjoying life without braces. His gums are puffy, but will return to normal in a couple of weeks.
My son Luke recently had his braces removed (visit this post to see his first appointment). He is such a handsome dude, and I am super happy for him. He couldn’t stop smiling for the entire day. Having braces removed is an amazing feeling that almost everyone looks forward to. We see a wide range of emotions when someone is about to get their braces off. Most are super excited, several are nervous, occasionally some patients do not want them removed. While I am very flattered when someone loves their braces so much they want to keep them on, I know they will soon appreciate the feeling of not having braces. The first meal without getting food stuck in your teeth is probably one of my favorite moments for patients. The process of removing braces involves 4 steps:
Check tooth alignment and bite to see if everything is ready.
Remove the braces from the teeth.
Remove the glue from the teeth.
Make and deliver your retainer.
The Check
Before removing your braces, we do a thorough check to ensure all of our goals from the beginning of treatment have been met. This includes ensuring your bite is corrected and your teeth are well aligned. There is a wide range of personal preference for how teeth should look. Orthodontists use a combination of scientific research and personal preferences to create the ideal smile, but don’t be afraid to tell your orthodontist if you want changes before the braces are removed. Once the orthodontist gives the OK, the dental assistant will begin to remove the braces.
Braces Removal
To remove braces, we use a special instrument called a ‘debond plier’. By grabbing each bracket (singular word for braces) in a specific location, and applying a small amount of pressure, brackets usually pop off with minimal effort. In most cases they are still connected to the wire during removal, and everything comes off at once. This process usually takes 2-3 minutes.
Glue Removal
Braces are attached (bonded) to the teeth using composite resin, which is a special type of glue used for dental fillings and bonding braces. When the braces are removed, the glue is still attached to the teeth. If you lick your teeth immediately after the braces are removed, you may feel that the tooth surface is slightly rough (although much smoother than it was with braces 😁 ). To remove the glue, we use instruments that gently smooth the glue off of the tooth. It is the same thing your general dentist uses to clean out cavities (commonly referred to as a drill), but it’s made especially for smoothing glue with very little affect to the tooth. While this process doesn’t hurt, the cold air can make your teeth cold and your mouth feel dry. If you need a break, raising your hand will let your assistant or orthodontist know to stop. This process takes about 15 minutes.
Retainers
It is important to have a retainer shortly after removing your braces. Ideally, you would have it within 1-3 days to prevent unwanted movement of your teeth. More information about retainers can be found here.
The day your braces are removed should be life changing. Most people remember it for the rest of their life. We look forward to the day when you will have this experience. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Dr. Swapp