Removal of braces

Sign up

Removal of braces is the final stage of orthodontic treatment of different bite abnormalities. The procedure is performed by the doctor who installed the appliance, monitored the process and adjusted the appliance. It does not cause any pain to the patient or damage enamel.

When is it necessary to remove braces?

Only an orthodontist can define the right time of removal based on their assessment of the predicted treatment outcome. If the appliance is removed prematurely at the patient’s request, it can make futile the long effort of wearing the dental appliance.

When the appliance puts pressure on the arch, the bone tissue located in the direction of the tooth movement gradually readjusts itself, and a certain amount of time is needed so that it could regain its quantity and the teeth could settle in their places securely.

If the appliance is removed before time, the achieved result will be lost.

Premature removal can cause the following complications:

• Teeth return to the initial abnormal position.
• Recurrent tilting.
• Gum recession accompanied by tooth neck exposure.
• Tooth mobility.
• Gum inflammation.

Before removing braces, the orthodontist will ask the patient to get an X-ray to avoid premature removal.

How removal is performed

It takes no more than 30-40 minutes to dismount the appliance at the clinic without causing any pain to the patient. No special preparation is required:

1. First, a retractor is placed, which moves away the patient’s lips and cheeks, so that the doctor could have proper access to the appliance. Liquid is constantly removed by a saliva aspirator.
2. Dismounting the archwire - depending on the type of braces, the archwire can be detached in different ways. Removing ligatures and separating the archwire from the brackets.
3. Removing the brackets from the tooth surface. The brackets are detached from the bond by putting pressure with special forceps.
4. Enamel polishing - the cement is carefully removed.
5. Hygienic tooth cleaning - removing cement remnants, plaque and calculus.
6. Fixing a retentive appliance to maintain the correction obtained and avoid recurrence.

It is impossible to remove braces correctly and safely at home.

Placing retainers

To reinforce the treatment outcome, the patient needs to wear a retainer right after the braces have been removed. They are not able to move teeth, but they can fix them well in the correct position obtained.

Types of appliances:

• Fixed. It is a thin steel wire, which is attached with a composite material to the inner surface of the dental arch on the lower and upper jaws. The structure can be worn indefinitely. It takes just one day to get used to it.
• Removable. These retainers are shaped as transparent and lightweight mouthguards. The orthodontist will instruct on how to wear them. They are normally worn during the night.

Both types are sometimes used simultaneously to ensure that the obtained correction is maintained. The doctor will determine how long retainers should be worn.

Tooth recovery after removal of braces

Failure to follow individual oral hygiene may cause enamel discoloration or caries. In such cases, the doctor will offer recovery procedures after the braces are removed:

• Professional oral hygiene
• Caries treatment
• Remineralization - the procedure strengthens enamel and prevents caries from spreading.

Axioma Dental Clinic invites patients to have any type of braces removed painlessly and safely.

Medical expert:

Aleksandra Igorevna Sapitskaya

Orthodontic dentist