If you have finished with your orthodontic treatment and are wearing retainers (or will be soon), this is a special place to connect with others in your (enviable) situation. Ask a question or make a comment about life post-braces.
I can finally add my input to this thread, as I just got my braces off this morning (after a 17 month treatment).
It didn't hurt a bit. I was all worked up, thinking it was going to feel horrible, but it was really a piece of cake. I had ceramic (sapphire) brackets on top and titanium on the bottom, and they all popped right off with very little pressure. There was an unsettling crunching noise for each one, but it was not bad at all.
The worst part (and others have mentioned this too) was removing the glue - the cold air blowing over my teeth was a tad painful at times, but it was not unbearable, and it was over pretty quickly.
Overall, I'd say getting the braces ON was much worse than getting them off. And I am thrilled with the results - it was worth all the pain and discomfort!
Oh great, 11 days left and now reading this thread I'm even MORE nervous.
I had to get a bracket put back on last visit and the way she was scraping my tooth it was horrible. It something I can only compare to as running nails on a blackboard. She then proceeded to tell me to toughen up because the day I get them removed it was going to be like that for every single tooth. (Honestly who tells someone that)
Personally I didn't even like that dental assistant, she was the one who "accidentally" broke off that bracket, and last time I had her, she nearly sat on top of me and almost yanked my molar out trying to remove a stuck wire.
I'm thinking of cranking up my MP3 player so at least I don't have to hear all that scraping. (However I think the only way I'll calmly get through that is taking a couple shots of whiskey beforehand.)
I just got my braces off yesterday, after 23 months. It was not the most pleasant time, but neither was the entire bracing experience. Removing the braces did hurt, but I was nowhere near tears, and after reading a couple of the previous posts, I consider myself pretty lucky. I was already nervous about 'the debanding' but they were off before I realized it. My teeth have felt a little wobbly since, so I have been afraid to eat much. LOL I hope they tighten up soon or I will be very hungry.
Anyway, it feels really good to have all that metal out of my mouth...and I look forward to doing a lot of smiling after I have my teeth whitened. It's been a long journey for me, starting with having two deep cleanings from the periodontist and osseus surgery just weeks before getting braced, which left me with several very sensitive teeth. I still need to get a bridge to replace some missing teeth, but all is on the up and up for now. Good luck to you all!
No way! The only painful thing about getting your braces off is when they remove the bands. When they removed my bands, it hurt like someone was trying to pull my molars out. But other than that, it's such a wonderful feeling to get your braces off!
Did anyone else have jaw pain after getting your braces removed? One side where the hygenist sat is hurting pretty bad. I can't open my mouth all the way or stick my tongue out with out it hurting. I guess its the muscle thats sore because I had my mouth kept open wide for three hours!!! I think regular bracket and polishing was only suppose to be for two hours but my hygenist was new.
I was wondering, if you accidently swallow the glue when they are scraping the glue off, is this toxic? I know I inhaled that powdery residue when they were polishing my teeth....
i remember getting mine off...seems like so long ago. my metal brackets were off just like that with no pain put my 6 ceramics...that was a whole different story. i had some of mine shatter and fly all over the room...lol...good thing i was the only one there! i guess they were really one there GOOD. he had me bite down to try to get them off easier.
IMO...even tho my ceramics hurt, betting them removed wasnt that bad compared to the polishing! i HATE that!!!!! my teeth are sensitive to begin with. i have to go to the ortho to get some excess glue around my bonded retainer taken off and i am not looking forward to it because it HURTS HURTS HURTS!! but....i count to 10....then count to 10 again and that seems to work alright for me. and knowing that all i have to do is raise my hand and the pain will stop, helps a little.
SMiles
LALA
Braces On: November 21, 2003
Braces Off: December 17, 2004
Braces Back On: November 6, 2007
Braces Back Off: 2008
I had my braces removed Friday! I'll be sure & post some pics after my teeth cleaning next week!! I will say I was so nervous after reading several bad stories about the whole process, but it wasn't bad at all. I was through in 30 minutes and that was impressions and all. During the grinding of the cement, there was only a couple of sensitive spots (and i have very, very sensitive teeth), but it was over in minutes. I was really worried about the molar band removal, but just two snaps and it was gone!! I couldn't believe it. I did have to wait around 45 minutes to receive my upper & lower Essix retainer (which I love by the way), but overall it was actually one of the best experiences. To this day the spacers (I had the metal ones) were the worst part of my whole treatment!!
TEETH IN THE BEGINNING (OCT. '05)
TEETH NOW (Oct. 28, 2007)
Braced (uppers & lowers): 2 Years
Retainer Check: 1-18-08
just got my ceramics off the top and she only broke 2...I was prepared for the top to be much worse than the bottom when it came to polishing off the glue but she put abosol on a few minutes before and the polishing was fine!
Anyone nervous of sensitive teeth might want to bring their own to their debanding, it made such a big difference.
KK wrote:Mine was a bracket that had come off (in my sleep )a pre molar that was still busy rotating ... the tooth was not sore at the time, but it was reasonably loose.
When my ortho began removing the cement from that tooth ... it hurt ... and I mean it really hurt. He could see he was hurting me, as the goggles I had on fogged up, so he stopped and said he'd do it another time. He said teeth don't hurt like that if they've stopped moving or are more settled in there position!
Ghee I hope he's being honest with me ... coz if I had to go through that with all my brackets ... I might be buried with them!
A part of my bracket has come off:/:S now I am a little scared.....oh uh..going in tomorrow..I wonder if he has to take the intier bracket off and put on a new on? What do you guys think?probably depends. I think mine are a little "modern", i dont have ligatures..
Are some of you sensitive during regular cleanings too? Is it worse than a scaling and polishing? I had two brackets re-bonded and both times no pain. Probably because the flash came of with the bracket, but also, I realized getting deep cleanings and polishings don't bother me without any anesthetic either. Is it a different feeling?
Upper and lower 1st premolars extracted
Uppers braced 4/6/07 & Lowers braced 4/20/07
ceramic brackets and rectangular arch wires
Est. term: 30-36 months
De-banded: 3/04/09 w/ LBR and U&L Essix
I had my braces (ceramic) removed 10/10 and went to regular dentist for a cleaning about 10 days later.
That cleaning hurt. She said orthos always leave a lot of composite on even after polishing, and she poked so much at my teeth that I imagine she removed some enamel too. She said there was still some she (the hygenist) couldn't get and called the ortho office to ask them to remove the leftover from molars when i go back for retainer check in Dec.
Have others had this experience, or is my hygenist just picky?
*GULP*
I love this dancing banana!
