a close up of a woman's mouth with teal braces on her teeth
Braces

3 Things You Should Know About Getting Braces Off

This is the day you have been waiting for, asking for, dreaming of – braces are coming off. Here are 3 things you need to know about “deband day” when your braces come off.

This is the day you have been waiting for, asking for, dreaming of – braces are coming off. Here are 3 things you need to know about “deband day” when your braces come off. 

  1. Initially your gums may look a little puffy or swollen. No problem. Just rinse with some warm salt water (1tbsp/8oz of water – 40sec in the microwave) and brush your teeth and gums well. Remember 2x/day for 2 min. The swelling should improve after a couple days to a couple weeks. If you still feel like you have too much gum tissue then you can ask one of our doctors about gum recontouring.  
  1. Right after your braces come off is when your teeth are most likely to shift. This is why it is so important to wear your retainer. You will either get a clear invisible style (Essix), a hawley retainer, or a fixed bonded retainer. You can read about different retainer styles here. At Dunegan & Cole Orthodontics, we recommend wearing retainers about 8-12 hrs/day – most prefer to do this at nighttime. 
  1. Finally, you can eat anything you want RIGHT AWAY. That’s right, braces are off and it is time to party! Go crazy with all that sticky, crunchy, chewy food (link to foods to avoid during braces) you have been craving. If you have cheated at all during the process, you can now enjoy guilt-free 😉 

Congratulations to those finishing their braces journey and for those wanting their own smile transformation you can click here to schedule your free consultation with one of our board-certified orthodontists!

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