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Hairline cracks all over my teeth after braces

So, I got my braces off a few days ago and after checking in the mirror I've noticed my teeth are full of hairline cracks where the brace brackets were, and also there's a lot of brace glue and cement left behind that the orthodontist didn't remove. :mad:

Had a check-up with my regular dentist the day after braces came off (useful coincidence) but he didn't comment on the cracks. He did offer to remove the glue and cement in a few months once retainers were off, so I'll take him up on that offer.

I'm so worried about these cracks though. There's at least one in every front tooth and some have 3 or 4. Some seemed to be going yellow at the edges this morning when I took my retainers off. I cleaned my teeth really well and used listerine afterwards like I always do, which got rid of the yellow, but now I'm totally paranoid. My teeth are also much more sensitive than before. When I drink cold water or use mouthwash it can get a little painful. Not like real ouch sensitive teeth painful but just more than it used to be. Not sure if this is because I just had my braces off or if it's because of the cracks.

This is far from the nice white smile I expected I'd have after my braces came off :frown: with all the cracks and brace glue I feel more conscious about my teeth than I did before I had braces.

Are these cracks normal after braces? Is there anything I can get done about them?
Reply 1
EDIT: There's one that looks slightly brown inside...that must've happened overnight but I cleaned my teeth and retainer really well before I went to sleep. I didn't even notice that little line yesterday because that brown colour wasn't there. I can't clean it out or anything.

I don't understand :frown: I clean my teeth so well. I've never been lazy about it, I've always done exactly what the dentist and orthodontist told me to. My mouth feels dirty now and I'm paranoid these cracks will go bad or something :s-smilie:

Showed my Mom and she just said "shut up and clean your teeth better, I'm not taking you to another dentist appointment" and went back to her pc.

Anybody help? I'm panicking here :frown:
Reply 2
Can you not go back in to your orthodontist? I'm assuming your treatment isn't finished yet if you still need retainers, so if my one was anything to go by, you could just ring up and book yourself in for an appointment. Whether this is actual damage to the enamel or just normal after removing braces, you deserve an explanation and some reassurance, so get on the phone to your orthodontist and explain the situation. Also, are you sure about what routine you should be following now with regards to correct type of mouthwash to use, etc etc?

If these really are hairline fractures, enquire about them because the last thing you want is damage to the nerve or infection to set in.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 3
Original post by nosaer
Can you not go back in to your orthodontist? I'm assuming your treatment isn't finished yet if you still need retainers, so if my one was anything to go by, you could just ring up and book yourself in for an appointment. Whether this is actual damage to the enamel or just normal after removing braces, you deserve an explanation and some reassurance, so get on the phone to your orthodontist and explain the situation. Also, are you sure about what routine you should be following now with regards to correct type of mouthwash to use, etc etc?


I have another appointment in 4 months. I tried calling but they're too busy to fit me in anytime soon. Even if they could find time to see me I doubt my parents would agree to drive me there, it's a long way and they're already in trouble for taking so much time off work.

As for routine I wasn't really told this time. They just told me how to keep the retainers clean so I'm assuming I keep doing what I did before :s-smilie:.
Reply 4
I had my (traditional) braces removed yesterday. I didn't notice at first but my girlfriend noticed vertical cracks that were only viewable at certain angles. I don't know if the cracks were cause by the fact that the expansion rate of the teeth is different from that of the braces whilst wearing them, or by the mechanical shock that occurred when the braces were removed (there was an uncomfortable 'clack' noise for some teeth and three tiny pieces of enamel seem to have chipped off three teeth in the process). I don't know if it was caused by the dentist being careless when removing the braces or by the thermal expansion-contraction of the pieces involved. Either way the dentist is never going to admit it could have been his fault, so I am disheartened. The dentist said the cracks will improve over time, but a small amount of reading reveals that that won't be the case. I'll probably seek a second opinion just to figure out what went wrong and what can be done.

If anyone has any useful information regarding teeth crazes I'd be much appreciated if you could share it.
Reply 5
Original post by beetraxx
I had my (traditional) braces removed yesterday. I didn't notice at first but my girlfriend noticed vertical cracks that were only viewable at certain angles. I don't know if the cracks were cause by the fact that the expansion rate of the teeth is different from that of the braces whilst wearing them, or by the mechanical shock that occurred when the braces were removed (there was an uncomfortable 'clack' noise for some teeth and three tiny pieces of enamel seem to have chipped off three teeth in the process). I don't know if it was caused by the dentist being careless when removing the braces or by the thermal expansion-contraction of the pieces involved. Either way the dentist is never going to admit it could have been his fault, so I am disheartened. The dentist said the cracks will improve over time, but a small amount of reading reveals that that won't be the case. I'll probably seek a second opinion just to figure out what went wrong and what can be done.

If anyone has any useful information regarding teeth crazes I'd be much appreciated if you could share it.


I've been doing some research too. Apparently smaller hairline cracks can get better over time if you keep them clean, eat carefully (avoid acidic things and fizzy drinks etc) and look after the enamel. Also saw something about xylitol creating the perfect pH in the mouth to aid the repair of damaged tooth enamel.
Not sure how reliable this is but I'm going to try it just in case...along with some fluorigard enamel strengthening gel that my orthodontist gave me while I had braces on...not that it prevented these cracks in any way :mad:

It's really disheartening though :frown: I was so happy about having braces and getting the perfect smile...and now I just feel like I have a mouth full of straighter but broken teeth :frown:
Reply 6
This has just happened to my son hairline cracks, vertical, and horizontal on his two front teeth. Will be going to a solicitor, It took the orthodontist just 4 minutes to remove all the brackets in a rush (and was very painful for my son) .... well 3000.00 a lot to pay to be savaged at the end..
Just look after them for now, they may well get better in time. As they're only hairline cracks on the surface, a scale and polish will probably improve their appearance if they don't naturally in time.
Reply 8
I have to but in here. How many hairline cracks are we talking about per tooth? Did it hurt when he was taking the brackets off of was it just uncomfortable? I had a brace at 15 (I'm now in my 20's) and my dentist left glue all over my teeth which was removed at a later date, I also have hair line cracks in my teeth. They are caused due to stress or damage to the teeth but also come with age, and general wear and tear. Is it possible you didn't notice them before because of the braces?

I think what you need to do is take a step and think, while this is a bit crap, I can sort it. Because you can! Your parents for one should be more supportive and help you with coming up with a solution! And as for your orthodontist, I suggest ringing them up and while being polite, tell them that it isn't good enough and that you NEED an appointment. As for getting there I would look at buses/trains, other family members etc. If you stand your ground you will get an appointment.

As for the hair line cracks these can be sorted. Mine aren't visible until you get really close to my teeth and they are the same colour as my teeth. Over time if not kept clean, bacteria can form I'm the cracks causing decay but I'm pretty sure this is in extreme cases and happens to people who don't brush their teeth, ever. For example, my dad is 55 and has them and his are fine, teeth characteristics are also hereditary from shape to colour etc so look at your parents before blaming the dentist. Cosmetic dentists can sort them out anyway, by basically filling in/or over them. It sounds dramatic but it's not although from what I've read most dentists say there's no need to treat them. Look up 'craze lines' this is what they're called.

Sorry for my very long winded reply, I hope some of what I said helps :smile:
Is it called medico-legal case for malpractice ? If im very sure there was no any hairline crack before taking off the braces ?
Hi. I`m an older guy who`s just worn braces for a year. They were removed last week and i was SO excited about seeing my teeth straightened (they were perfectly straight until i was 35) Before the treatment yes, my teeth were slightly wonky but in fantastic condition. I`ve always been so careful and taken great pride in the top condition of my tooth surfaces and enamel. HOWEVER, after 1 hour of brace and glue debonding using alls sorts of dental tools the braces were off. The orthodontist removed the brackets, then the glue spots using a grinding bur and then continued with a
What else? What happened?
Original post by Carolinalo
What else? What happened?

The thread is 8 years old...
Are your teeth ok?
Original post by Jamesy Lins
Hi. I`m an older guy who`s just worn braces for a year. They were removed last week and i was SO excited about seeing my teeth straightened (they were perfectly straight until i was 35) Before the treatment yes, my teeth were slightly wonky but in fantastic condition. I`ve always been so careful and taken great pride in the top condition of my tooth surfaces and enamel. HOWEVER, after 1 hour of brace and glue debonding using alls sorts of dental tools the braces were off. The orthodontist removed the brackets, then the glue spots using a grinding bur and then continued with a

Jamesy, what else happened?

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