Perfecting a Smile When the Braces Come Off

As many have discovered, straightening one’s teeth not only helps to improve oral health, but it also greatly improves one’s smile, possibly providing confidence in their smile they never thought they could have. Braces can be worn during any time of your life, with roughly one quarter of orthodontic patients being adults, as per the Seton Hill University Center for Orthodontics.

With that being said, bettering one’s smile doesn’t have to end with braces. When braces officially come off, patients have more options for further improving their smile, such as wearing retainers, teeth whitening, as well as teeth reshaping. If you would like to look into more ways to improve your smile, you should consider whether any of the following treatments would work for you.

Wearing Retainers

When your braces come off, the aftercare is just as important as the braces themselves, as the now straightened teeth need to be stabilized via custom-made retainers. Made with metal wire and plastic, these appliances are often removeable, but they may also be fixed in place. In the first six months following the removal of your braces, you may need to wear them all the time. After the first six months, however, you may only have to wear the retainers at night. Remember to follow your orthodontist's or dentist's instructions for wearing retainers to get their full benefit as well as that of your former braces.

Teeth Whitening

Throughout the course of one’s life, the teeth can receive considerable stains after being exposed to certain drinks and foods, such as tomato sauce, tea, and coffee. A fairly common solution for this is getting your teeth whitened, preferably in your dentist’s office to ensure it’s done properly and professionally.

Teeth whitening typically involves applying peroxide-based gel onto the teeth, removing deep surface staining and making them between five and seven times brighter. While whitening will work well for yellow teeth, it may not work for grayed or brown teeth, fillings, caps, crowns, or veneers. Additionally, you can help yourself avoid stains in the future by brushing your teeth twice per day using a teeth-whitening toothpaste, flossing once daily, and avoiding foods known for staining teeth.

Contouring and Reshaping

Another option to pursue after braces is teeth reshaping, especially if you want to make slight alterations to other parts of your smile. Dental contouring and teeth reshaping are cosmetic procedures that can alter the teeth’s length, position, and shape in order to fix slight imperfections, including overlapping, slightly crooked, chipped, misshapen, or especially-pointed teeth. Your dental professional will inform you which procedure can most improve your smile, even sometimes combining them, and perform X-rays to see if you have enough bone support for either or both procedures.

Want to make sure you have the perfect smile but not pay full price for it? Consider signing up for the Wellness Dental Plan. Our New Hampshire discount dental plan can help individuals, families, or business owners save as much as 20 percent off their dental bills. For more information, click here.

Copyright: serrnovik / 123RF Stock Photo