Braces off
This is the time that most individuals look forward to at the end of their orthodontic treatment and that is simply getting braces off. There are few things individuals look forward to other than the removal of their braces. However, it is important to make sure that the individual also understands that just because the braces off do not mean that the treatment is at an end. Merely think of it as this phase of the treatment is over.
It’s important to know the process of how to remove braces, what it will look like for you after braces are removed, and is it possible for an individual to get their braces removed not at an orthodontic office?
Braces removal
Let’s start with that last question first since it’s one many people ask about getting braces off. Although understandable why people may want to try to find a way of doing it themselves to save money or for some other reason, there is a very simple, clear and obvious answer to this question and that is a resounding no!
Under no circumstances should you ever attempt or allow anyone else to attempt to remove your braces outside of a professional orthodontic office, ideally the same one that you have been working with. People may go down this road thinking they’re going to save themselves a little bit of money by looking on the internet for how to take off braces. However, the fact of the matter is that your orthodontist went to school for nearly a decade to learn how to do orthodontic medicine correctly and safely, and they know how to remove braces.
Orthodontists use different equipment to remove braces (Krell KV et al., 1993).Spending 5 minutes on a website to learn how to remove your own braces is no less than a recipe for disaster and in some cases where it has occurred, individuals have chipped or broken teeth, damaged their gums until they bled, and in some rare instances required orthodontic surgery to repair the self-inflicted damage. Simply put, there is no person and no tool at your home qualified to do this work. It is essential you go to a professional orthodontist. Now that we have that out of the way, how do braces get removed correctly?
How Are Braces Removed? Photo by Cleyder Duque from Pexels
How to remove braces
As mentioned, the first step of getting braces off is quite simple, you will go to your orthodontic office. Your orthodontic office will have a good idea of whether it is time for your braces to be removed or not. Sometimes people can get impatient and want braces removed earlier than they should. It’s important to remember that your teeth have been forced out of their original positions and have been shifting. This shifting causes teeth to be a little bit loose and if your braces treatment is not quite at an end, it can mean either stagnating or regressing on your treatment.
Making sure that you speak with your orthodontic office about when the best time is to remove the braces is the beginning. If you’re fortunate and the lucky day has arrived,you may wonder how to take off braces?
How to take off braces
With the help of a skilled orthodontic office and dental professional, they will utilize a specialized type of orthodontic pliers (Krell KV et al., 1993) and will gently squeeze the base of the brackets.
As they squeeze and deform the bracket, it will become loose and pop off. Again this needs to be done carefully because the teeth are quite loose still after just having arrived at their new positions and an incorrect procedure can occasionally cause bleeding gums. However, a good orthodontic office knows how best to handle this stage.
After carefully taking off each of the brackets, your orthodontic office will begin the next step of scraping off and cleaning off any remaining glue from the removed braces. Some orthodontists may choose to use ultrasonic waves to clean up the enamel and remove any remaining glue (Krell KV et al., 1993).
This glue is the mounting agent that was used to affix the brackets to your teeth. Getting all of this removed can occasionally cause individuals to see white spots on their teeth where the enamel below seems to be whiter than the surrounding enamel. This is simply because during the time that your braces were installed your teeth may have slightly changed colors due to things you were eating, brushing or not brushing, or any other factors but the enamel directly below the glue has basically nothing used since your braces were installed. The good news is that in a short period of time your teeth will all gain a similar color and the spots will vanish.
Getting braces off- retainers
Once the remaining glue and all the brackets are off, the next thing that will happen is a new mold will be made of your teeth for your retainer. As mentioned before, your teeth are going to be in quite a soft and somewhat flexible state after having undergone orthodontic treatment. To make sure that the teeth do not move and remain in the place that you have worked hard to achieve, orthodontic offices will utilize a retainer with the purpose, as the name suggests, to retain your teeth in their new positions.
Protecting your teeth in their new positions is an important part of the continuation of your orthodontic treatment. People who forego this step or simply do not wear their retainers are often back at the orthodontic office needing to get further orthodontic treatment. Simply wearing the retainer can help make sure that your teeth stay in their new positions and do not move or become damaged after the braces are off.
Removed braces
Before you get to this stage, hopefully your orthodontic office will have discussed with you the different types of retainers and which ones will be best for you. Some retainers have advantages over others. Some are more aesthetically pleasing, some are easier to manage, and some are more affordable. It really depends on your particular needs.
But with your new retainer in hand as you leave the office, or hopefully in your mouth, your braces are now removed and the toughest part of your orthodontic treatment is behind you. Now you have that beautiful smile you have always wanted and once the retainer is off you can dance with the world with your beautiful smile.
Summary:
There is a special process that your orthodontist goes through when it comes to removing your braces. Your orthodontist near me should provide you a brief explanation about the process and if you are concerned about the process, then discuss this with the orthodontist to have your concerns addressed.
Initially, the orthodontist will use a metal device to loosen up each of the brackets on your teeth, which will ensure that the components of the braces including the brackets and wires come off seamlessly and in one piece. If you have other attachments to your braces, your orthodontist will also remove these.
It is extremely important that you do not under any circumstances try removing your braces yourself. Your orthodontist is the one person qualified to perform this procedure. Once your braces are removed, the orthodontist will ensure that your teeth are thoroughly cleaned to remove any of the adhesive remnants that may be on your teeth.
In addition to this, your teeth will also likely need to be polished to make sure that they are evenly clean. There are more steps to this process, and once complete, you will be pleasantly surprised at the results and be eager to show off your healthy smile.
Reference:
Krell, K. V., Courey, J. M., & Bishara, S. E. (1993). Orthodontic bracket removal using conventional and ultrasonic debonding techniques, enamel loss, and time requirements. American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics: official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics, 103(3), 258–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/0889-5406(93)70007-B
