Most patients have braces for 18 months or longer. Throughout your treatment, your braces may have come to feel like a natural extension of your body — your mouth might feel strange when they are finally removed! What can you expect as you adapt to life after braces in East Hartford? Here is an overview of what you may experience:
How Your Mouth Will Look and Feel
Once your braces are removed, you might notice that your mouth does not feel or look the way it did before your treatment. In many ways, that is a good thing — your teeth should be much straighter now! However, there might be some things you did not anticipate, such as:
- Many patients experience a temporary increase in dental sensitivity after their braces are removed. After all, your teeth were under constant pressure for many months. Releasing that pressure may cause your mouth to be extra sensitive to stimuli like hot and cold foods.
- It is common for patients to notice patches of uneven coloration on their teeth. This can occur due to things like an accumulation of bacteria and food particles around the braces’ brackets. Not to worry. Most people find that discoloration fades naturally as they brush and floss their teeth each day. You might even choose to whiten your teeth six months or so after your braces are removed.
- It is common for braces patients to develop calluses on their soft oral tissues. Without your braces, the calluses may feel strange. Thankfully, though, they should disappear over time.
Maintaining Your Results
Once your braces are off, your orthodontic treatment is not over quite yet. You will need to maintain your results by wearing a retainer in East Hartford. The importance of this cannot be overstated. Without a retainer, your teeth could easily begin to drift back into their former positions.
Some patients get a fixed retainer, which is bonded to the teeth. Others, though, have a removable retainer that must be worn for 20 – 22 hours each day during the time period after braces are removed. Eventually, a retainer may need to be worn for only a few nights each week.
It might take a bit of time to adapt to a routine with a removable retainer. You will have to take it out of your mouth during meals and be careful to ensure that it stays as clean as possible.
Feel Free to Ask Questions
If you run into any questions or concerns while you are adjusting to life after braces, reach out to your dentist. They will be happy to provide personalized guidance to help you deal with any challenges that pop up. They want your newly straightened smile to be as healthy and comfortable as possible!
Meet the Practice
Comprehensive Dental Associates of Central Connecticut is proud to feature a large team of general dentists and specialists, including an on-staff orthodontist. Traditional braces are among the many services we provide. If you are thinking about straightening your teeth, or you want help to maintain the results of orthodontic treatment, our practice would be happy to help. Contact us at 860-288-5786.