La Habra/Chino Hills, CA – The day someone gets his or her braces off is a celebratory day. No doubt people are looking forward to a bracket-free smile, and being able to eat whatever they want again. But, if one wants to ensure their new smile lasts a lifetime, there are some important things to make sure that happens.

“Just because your braces are off doesn’t mean your work is finished,” says La Habra and Chino Hills orthodontist Dr. Robert Gire. “If you don’t pay close attention to your new smile, you may just find those newly straight teeth drifting back to their previous locations. And, if you don’t keep up your oral hygiene routine, decay and gum disease can destroy your beautiful smile.”

Dr. Gire wants each of his orthodontic patients at Gire Orthodontics to enjoy their beautiful new smile for a lifetime, so he offers several tips to make sure that happens.

1. Wear your retainer as directed by your orthodontist. It takes the ligaments around the teeth time to adjust to their new positions. They are somewhat elastic and if not given the time to get used to their new positions, they’ll want to snap back to their previous spot, taking your teeth with them.
2. Dr. Gire knows you’ve missed your crunchy and chewy foods while you had your braces, but he discourages patients from binging on these types of foods right after their braces are removed. That’s because the teeth may be sensitive due to the use of new retainers and they may need a bit of time to recover and get used to their new locations. Likewise, you’ll want to avoid anything too hot or too cold in the first couple of days so you don’t aggravate the sensitivity of your teeth.
3. We discourage whitening of your smile right away. Because the teeth may be sensitive for a few days after the braces come off, wait until you’re completely comfortable before you brighten your smile. Whitening while your teeth are still sensitive can cause even more discomfort.
4. Be sure to schedule a cleaning with your dentist right away. The brackets and wires of your braces likely made it more difficult to keep your smile clean, so visit your dentist after your braces come off to make sure any areas that got neglected are clean and healthy.
5. Don’t forget to brush and floss! You spent extra time maintaining your oral care during your orthodontic treatment and it is just as important now that you keep that up. Slacking on your oral care can lead to decay and gum disease, which can wreak havoc on your new smile.

“Best of all though, I tell my patients to smile as much as possible,” says Dr. Gire. “You worked hard during your braces treatment and now you have a gorgeous, straight, and functioning smile. It’s time to show it off!”