Since the day your braces treatment started, your ears were waiting to hear your orthodontist say, “Shortly, we will be removing your braces.” No matter if it’s only been a few months or full two years, braces removal is a treat for everyone. So now that it’s time to remove the braces, can you do it yourself? There no other answer to this question than a simple NO. Since you were not the one to place braces on your teeth, you can’t remove them. Putting up braces requires an orthodontist, so is its removal.
So when will your orthodontist remove the braces?
To answer this, first, let us know why you had the braces. Your braces were placed to give you straighter teeth and a perfect smile. So, until your teeth are not in an ideal alignment, there’s no way your braces are going anywhere.
Typically it takes two years for most dental treatments to complete. While some last even longer, others take a shorter time to complete. The time a treatment takes depends on your oral condition and budget. Your orthodontist is the one to decide when to remove your braces.
Maintaining good oral hygiene, paying scheduled visits to your dentist, and wearing all dental appliances that were a part of your braces journey can minimize the treatment duration.
How are braces removed?
So in your previous appointment, your dentist has given you good news that you will be free from braces on your next visit. Now you are all happy thinking about the pain-free nights and eating your favorite meals. But please don’t get your hopes too high. It is possible that next time your orthodontist evaluates your braces, he or she may advise you to put them on for a bit longer. Why is that? Your doctor may feel removing braces is not feasible because your teeth have still not shifted to an ideal extent and need a little more time.
However, if you are lucky enough to have perfectly aligned teeth, your dentist will remove your braces in the ongoing session, which will take longer than regular appointments. Your orthodontist will use a special type of plier to remove the braces (and connected rubber bands and wires) from the teeth’s surface. You may hear some weird cracky noises, but don’t worry; they are a part of the braces removal process.
Is your treatment complete?
If you think your smile is all set and you don’t need anything alien in your mouth anymore, you might be wrong. Once your braces come off, your dentist will take your teeth’s measurements to make you a ”retainer.”
To learn more about what a retainer is and why you need it after removing your braces, feel free to ask our dentists at Vintage Oral Surgery. Contact us at (281) 800 8852.