The day of braces removal is the day you must have awaited the most. All your patience has paid off when you finally go to remove those uncomfortable braces off. But you might worry about what exactly to expect before getting braces off?
It is common to report your mouth feeling strange and taking days to adjust to a life without braces. Apart from this, there are other remarks you might notice. Here is a list of things that you can expect when getting your braces off:
- Brushing & flossing will feel way different
Brushing and flossing get much easier after braces removal. Ditch the special brushes or the shenanigans required to dental floss between the metal wires and brackets. After getting braces off, you have more access to clean your mouth.
You can now even incorporate certain food back into your diet, so you need to be more cautious than usual.
- Discolored & stained teeth post braces removal
Don’t get disheartened if you see discoloration on your teeth after braces removal. It is indeed normal to have a little discoloration and decalcification on certain teeth. Decalcification is the appearance of tiny white spots on your teeth that occur when calcium and phosphorous minerals are absent from the tooth surface.
- That strange feeling during eating
The strangeness you felt when you ate for the first time after getting your braces will be the same feeling you will experience after braces removal. This happens because you get so accustomed to chewing certain food with your bracket that now you find it liberating to chew food from any side of your mouth. You are even free to eat any kind of food, including sticky to hard candies.
- Retainers: Here they come!
Retainers are made to fit inside your mouth to provide you with comfort. They make your post-braces teeth maintain their straightness and not return to being what they were like when you first began your orthodontic journey.
You should clean retainers with a soft toothbrush every day and store them securely.
- Calluses on lips
Calluses appear on the inner side of your lips right after you remove your braces off. They occur on the sensitive part of your lips, but you might not have noticed due to braces. Worry little about them since they will go away with time and proper care.
- Gaps you worried about
More than uneven teeth, what worries people more are the teeth gaps. These gaps are formed because you may sometimes need a tooth extraction for braces.
The gaps may form a cloud of worry for you, but you shouldn’t worry as you won’t see any gaps after braces removal.
- Follow a cleaning routine after braces removal
Poor dental hygiene during your braces treatment will lead to discoloration or staining of your teeth. Adding on to it, the wrong diet rich in sugary and acidic foods is also the reason behind the staining of your teeth.
Using strong teeth whitening products during braces can lead to spots on your teeth. This is because those products only affect the teeth that are not covered in braces.
There is nothing to worry about majorly. You can remove stains off your teeth through teeth whitening treatments available at your orthodontist’s clinic.
- Follow-up appointments
Getting your braces off isn’t an end to your orthodontic visits. There are more post braces off work to do than you would imagine. Even a simple process of molding appropriate retainers for your mouth takes up an hour appointment.
You need to schedule regular dental examinations and cleanings after braces removal to ensure there are no developed issues during your orthodontic treatment. This also allows dentists to remove the tartar build-up that may have occurred while you had braces.
Roughly, you would need to schedule a 6-8 month evaluation to maintain your teeth’ health.
- A straight smile
You can now smile without the fear of your teeth looking crooked or you accidentally showing off your braces! Say yes to a straighter, brighter, and beautiful smile.
Conclusion
Getting braces off is one of the happiest moments of anyone’s life. Losing the discomfort of braces and adapting back to life with a straighter smile is a dream come true for everyone who had their share of braces experience.
You may feel odd without braces, but that feeling will fade away within a few days. However, even after braces removal, make sure that you go for regular checkups at your orthodontist.
Retainers are a must after braces to keep the after-effect permanent. Maintain a habit of cleaning your teeth and keeping your mouth healthy.
At Thurman Orthodontics, we strive to give you the best possible orthodontic treatment. With our affordable hi-tech orthodontic treatment options, you achieve correct jaw alignment, straight teeth, and a perfect smile.
Dr. Brian Thurman has spent his entire life enjoying all the beauty that California has to offer. A Fresno native, he still escapes to the ocean or the mountains whenever his busy schedule allows. Driven by his love for natural beauty, Dr. Thurman enjoys creating beautiful smiles and healthy bites that last a lifetime. He is proud to be the only Ivy League trained Orthodontist in the Fresno/Clovis area.