How to remove braces?
There are a lot of questions when it comes to the removal of braces and many myths about it as well. What all is involved in the braces removal process? Is it something that you could do yourself? How does your orthodontic office know when it is time to remove your braces? And how long will it take to finally get the braces off your teeth? Once the braces are removed, is that the end of your orthodontic adventures or are there more follow-up treatments required?
Before we answer those questions and more, let’s check in with some orthodontic and dental experts and see what they have to say about the process of braces and their removal.
Orthodontic bonding is very common today (Janiszewska-Olszowska, J et al.,2014) as more and more people are able to get braces to correct their dental alignment issues.
The removal of the braces, brackets and the residual adhesive can cause enamel damage (Janiszewska-Olszowska, J et al.,2014) if it is done incorrectly. That is why it is so important to get your braces removed professionally.
Orthodontic practices are seeking ways to minimize enamel loss while achieving smooth enamel (Janiszewska-Olszowska, J et al.,2014).
How to take off your braces
As you can see, even when it comes to professionals, there may be some things like enamel loss that can occur as part of the braces removal process. That’s why it’s absolutely crucial that you have an orthodontic office who is professionally trained in knowing how to take off your braces. But why?
Let’s start with a very common question that circulates around the internet unfortunately far too often and needs to be absolutely addressed – can I remove my own braces? That would depend, do you have your own orthodontic office and 8 years of orthodontic experience? Even if you did, the answer would still be no as this work needs to be done by somebody who can see and know what they’re doing and working inverted in a mirror untrained in a private home utilizing unapproved tools is the surest way to destroy your teeth.
Orthodontic offices come with years and sometimes decades of orthodontic experience when it comes to applying and removing braces. Not only that, but there are specialized tools and equipment that needs to be used. It’s not just one or the other – it’s the combination of the skills, the experience, and the proper equipment in the proper location that makes removing braces easy and safe when done by a professional office.
When done at home using makeshift tools, it can cause bleeding gums in a better case scenario, and sometimes cracked, chipped, or destroyed teeth in a worst case scenario. The fact of the matter is after spending thousands of dollars on getting your braces installed, it is absolutely crucial that you finish that final step by having a professional actually remove them safely. Do not under any circumstances attempt to remove your own braces at home.
Removing braces – How to remove braces From Teeth Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
Removing braces
How will you know if it’s time to remove the braces? Unfortunately this is not actually something you can determine. Your orthodontic office will let you know when it’s time to remove the braces. Your office has a good idea of the exact movement that they were hoping your teeth would achieve, the correct position of the teeth, fixing any crooked teeth, aligning any overbites, or any other orthodontic issues that your braces were correcting for.
Once the desired outcome has been reached, your orthodontic office will then be able to recommend a timetable for when the braces can or should be removed. Oftentimes you will know months in advance and be able to look forward to your braces removal appointment. So if you want to find out when you can get your braces off, the best person to check in with is your orthodontist.
How do they remove braces?
How do they remove braces is a very common question for individuals who have them and the answer is quite mundane. Your orthodontic office, as mentioned earlier, comes equipped with not only the skills but also the equipment to be able to remove braces safely. There are actual tools that are designed to help remove braces from the teeth along with the adhesive that was used to attach them in the first place.
The first thing that you would do in the process of getting your braces removed is to visit your orthodontic office and determine whether it is actually time to get them off. If your orthodontist agrees, then the next step will be to schedule an appointment to actually get the braces removed. This is an appointment you should definitely be looking forward to as once the braces are removed you will be able to see your beautiful teeth unobstructed for the first time in months or years. Your teeth may still feel a little loose though so don’t be concerned if everything doesn’t feel set in place. We’ll get to that part later.
Braces removal process
Now that you’re in the office and your doctor is ready, they will utilize a special tool that helps to remove the brackets from the adhesive. You will probably hear a little bit of grinding sounds or things like that and although it may not sound particularly pleasant, your orthodontic office has the skills and the equipment to be able to remove everything safely without causing any damage to your teeth.
Once the brackets have been removed from the adhesive, the next part of the process is for your orthodontic office to actually scrape off the remaining glue that is left over. Once the brackets and the glue are removed, the only thing that may be left on your teeth is a white spot where the glue had previously resided. But don’t worry, these white spots are usually not permanent and will go away in time.
How to remove braces bracket
Now you’ve seen how to have your braces properly removed by an orthodontic expert and you know how the brackets are removed, the next question that is most often asked is am I done? Unfortunately not quite, as mentioned before, your teeth are likely still loose and so your orthodontic office is likely to recommend utilizing a retainer for some time. A retainer is an important orthodontic device that will help to retain your teeth in place and make sure they do not shift out of their new positions.
You may only have to wear the retainer for several months or it could be several years. But the good news is, once the braces are off ,you will now be able to take pictures with that great smile and get back to eating a more normal diet, free from the restrictions of braces.
Summary:
So, you have finished your active orthodontic treatment phase and it’s time to remove your braces. This is an exciting period for many people because they finally get to show off their lovely smile and straightened teeth that they have waited so long for.
This excitement is understandable, because, after all, depending on a variety of factors, the orthodontic treatment with braces can be anywhere from about 12 months up to 36 months and may even be longer in some cases.
So, how do you get your braces off? This first answer may seem like a no-brainer but it must be stated nonetheless. It is important for you to see an orthodontist to get your braces off. Under no circumstances should you attempt to remove them yourself or allow an untrained person to remove them for you.
Some orthodontic offices may want to charge you for the removal of your braces, which may seem unfair and unnecessary and may tempt patients to try removing it themselves. However, this is a mistake and can lead to complications and damage to the teeth that will require further orthodontic work. Rest assured it is actually part of the overall cost of your treatment.
Reference:
Janiszewska-Olszowska, J., Szatkiewicz, T., Tomkowski, R., Tandecka, K., & Grocholewicz, K. (2014). Effect of orthodontic bonding and adhesive removal on the enamel – current knowledge and future perspectives – a systematic review. Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 20, 1991–2001. https://doi.org/10.12659/MSM.890912
