The day your braces come off is often a day that is celebrated and thought of for a long time to finally see the new smile you have achieved. When you arrive to get your braces taken off, your appointment should take about an hour+ to be on your way to show off your new smile to the world. Here are a few thing of what you can expect during your removal appointment:
De-Banding
First your orthodontist will use special orthodontic pliers to gentry crack the adhesive from the bracket to the tooth and remove the complete bracket. Often time’s people are worried about the brackets staining their teeth. Depending on how well you looked after your teeth during the course of your orthodontic treatment will depend on if/how big the stains may be. If your oral hygiene was poor during your treatment, it is possible that you could have staining from the braces. Luckily if that is the case, Orthodontic Center of OC offers teeth whitening service at all locations.
Fitting the Fixed Retainer
Your Orthodontist will determine if a fixed retainer is best for you and your 
treatment plan. Having a fixed retainer is a good solution for keeping your smile fresh and straight long term. A fixed retainer consists of adhering a thin piece of wire on the back of your top and bottom arches. The fixed retainer is permanent but it can also be removed if necessary. Our doctors will then go over with you the proper steps to take when keeping good oral hygenine and teach you how to brush your teeth and avoid the retainer.
Removable Retainers
If you’re Orthodontist determines that your smile does not need a fixed retainer and that you will be fitted for a removable retainer. Impressions of 
your teeth are taken to make the removable retainer and can be picked up shortly after your removal appointment. Removable retainers are meant to be worn for at least 22 hours a day except when you are eating, drinking or brushing your teeth. Your removable retainer needs to be worn full time for at least the first 3 months after your braces are removed to ensure your teeth are not moving and holding their new positioning. If you lose or break your retainer, do not hesitate to call our office- it is important to get your retainer replaced immediately to make sure your teeth do not start shifting.
Caring for your New Smile
Ensuring that you keep up with your routine 3-6 month check-ups is a crucial part to your treatment plan after getting your braces off. At these check-ups your Orthodontist will check up on your smile and ensure there are no problems arising with your retainer and that your teeth are still in the correct positioning. As you or your child grows tooth positions are expected to change throughout a lifetime so it is important to keep wearing the retainer your Orthodontist provide to minimalize any positioning changes.
If you or your child has any questions before getting their braces removed, don’t hesitate to ask your Doctor before the removal or give our office a call and one of our staff members will be able to answer all of your questions.
