Teeth feel rough after getting braces off

[cblackbraces]

I got my braces off last week and after I got home and was looking at them, they don't look as shiney as they did before and feel a bit rougher than they did prior to braces. I had my teeth cleaned yesterday and asked my dentist if he could polish them somehow...he said I'd have to make a seperate apt for that (go fig). Is there a way for them to do this without loosing a bunch of enamal? My teeth were super shiny before and I'd like them back that way again.

In my mind, if they have a rough surface than I imagine bacteria and stuff getting in there.

[vincent168]

Would this be the demineralisation (white spots) your ortho should have mentioned to you before?

[cblackbraces]

No, because if you look closely, around the edges it's shiny and you can see where the cement was "sanded off" and the sort of the scuff mark looks.

[vincent168]

I think I know what you mean now. I get it sometimes even when I get scale and clean at the dentist. It does come back smooth though

[pasr16]

I got mine off 2 weeks ago and mine feel rough as well and it's definitely due to some glue still on the surface of my teeth...i feel like they rushed to take them off because they were too busy that day. Im going back next friday so they can fix that, and im sure they'll polish them and get that glue off. I would be a little more pressing since they didn't pay attention while taking your braces off and it's their fault....I cant believe they asked you to make another appointment...sigh...good luck!

[sirwired]

It's difficult to remove the glue perfectly. Part of the bonding involves acid-treating your teeth with primer to make the surface rough and prepared to accept the cement. (my ortho followed bonding up with fluoride varnish to quickly re-mineralize the teeth) This means that the cement becomes a part of your tooth surface; it's not a matter of just scraping it off, like tartar. It has to be ground off instead.

It could be your ortho is being cautious and not wanting to grind off enamel. The cement will eventually wear down to a smooth surface.

That said, I imagine an aggressive polishing could help.

[cblackbraces]

Interesting...I'll have to ask at my follow up apt. I remember when I had braces when I was younger there was cement that ws never ground off in a few places but it was smooth. This seems took same paper and sanded off the shine.

Is there a way to polish them without using any kind of polishing stones? Isnt' there a rubber polishing tool?