Braces Removal in Shelby Township
Fredal Orthodontics takes off braces by appointment only. Dr. Thomas Fredal Jr. is the orthodontic specialist here. Did another orthodontist put your braces on? They can still come off here.
*For new patients only. Patients transferring from another orthodontist: $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start here.
What Happens at Braces Removal
Debonding is the clinical term for braces removal: taking the brackets and wires off the teeth. At Fredal Orthodontics, the day the braces come off is also the day your retainer scan is taken.
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Book the Visit
Removal is by appointment only, and the office does not take walk-ins. Call/text (586) 544-4440 to schedule.
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Braces Off and Retainer Scan
Braces patients have their retainer scan the day the braces come off. The iTero Lumina scanner takes a digital 3D image of your teeth instead of a putty mould. If your braces were placed at another office, an in-house retainer can be made from a new scan.
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Retainer Made in the Office
A model of your teeth is printed on the practice’s SprintRay 3D printer, and an Essix retainer (a clear plastic retainer) is formed over it.
When Braces Removal Is Appropriate
After the diagnostic evaluation, Dr. Fredal gives each patient a treatment-time estimate. His goal is a healthy, functional bite. He also aims for a smile in balance with the face, designed for long-term stability. The treatment fee does not change with how long treatment takes.
Braces Removal for Patients Who Started Elsewhere
These removal fees are for patients whose braces were placed by another orthodontist. An arch is the upper or lower row of teeth.
Call/text to Schedule → 586-544-4440One set of Essix retainers is included at the end of every comprehensive treatment at Fredal Orthodontics.
Same-Day Retainer Delivery
Fredal Orthodontics can deliver Essix retainers the same visit, and they are the only retainers delivered that way. Invisalign patients are scanned the day their attachments come off, and their Vivera retainers are ordered.
Retainer Options & Pricing
After braces come off, Dr. Fredal’s retainer protocol is full-time wear for the first 1 to 3 months, then nighttime wear for life. He prefers removable retainers.
A fixed retainer (a thin wire bonded behind the teeth) may be recommended for teeth more prone to relapse (shifting back after treatment). This applies particularly to patients who began treatment with generalized spacing or severe crowding. With a fixed retainer, Dr. Fredal also recommends a removable Essix or Vivera retainer over it.
If a fixed retainer is not clinically necessary but you choose one, a lab-made fixed retainer is $750 per arch. A replacement retainer is $225 per arch, or $450 for an upper and lower pair.
Retainer Insurance is a paid program for replacement retainers. It costs $790 and runs for 7 years. With it, each new retainer is a $40 copay, and you can receive one new set per quarter.
Retainer options and Retainer Insurance at Fredal Orthodontics
Frequently Asked Questions About Braces Removal
Will Fredal Orthodontics take off braces that another orthodontist put on?
Yes. Braces placed at another office can be taken off at Fredal Orthodontics in Shelby Township. The office books removal visits by appointment and takes no walk-ins. Call/text (586) 544-4440 to arrange a removal visit. What the visit costs depends on whether a retainer comes with it.
What does braces removal cost for a patient from another practice?
Braces removal is $1,000 per arch without a retainer, or $1,225 per arch with a retainer. An arch is the upper or lower row of teeth. Both fees apply when the braces came from another orthodontist.
Is there a charge for the first visit if treatment started at another office?
Yes, $250 for patients transferring from another orthodontist, and that fee is credited toward treatment if they start at Fredal Orthodontics. A visit for a second opinion alone is free, and new patients are seen for a complimentary consultation. Fredal Orthodontics accepts transfer cases.
Can a patient from another office get a retainer made at the removal visit?
Yes. Fredal Orthodontics can make a retainer in its own office for a patient whose braces were placed elsewhere. It works from a usable 3D model already on file, or from a new scan and model when there is none. The model is printed on a SprintRay 3D printer, and an Essix retainer is formed over it. Essix retainers are the only kind delivered at the same visit.
Is a retainer included when treatment finishes at Fredal Orthodontics?
Yes, one set of Essix retainers at the end of comprehensive treatment. Patients finishing in braces have the scan taken at the removal visit, and the retainer is made in the office. Patients finishing in Invisalign are scanned the day the attachments come off, and Vivera retainers are ordered.
Does the fee change if braces stay on longer than estimated?
No. The treatment fee at Fredal Orthodontics does not change with how long treatment takes. Dr. Fredal gives each patient a treatment-time estimate after the diagnostic evaluation. The removal fees apply only to patients whose braces were placed at another office.
What Happens After the Brackets Come Off
After the braces come off, these pages cover the next steps:
For retainer types and prices, see retainer options and pricing.
If treatment finished with aligners, see the Invisalign treatment overview.
Comparing the braces treatment options? Browse the braces hub.
Lost or broken retainer? See emergency care.
Ready to book the removal visit? Book through the consultation form or call/text the office.
Other braces services: braces overview cost calculator.
Ready to See the Finished Smile?
Finishing treatment at Fredal Orthodontics, or started at another practice? Call/text to book your removal visit. Removal is by appointment only.
*For new patients only. Patients transferring from another orthodontist: $250 consultation fee, credited toward treatment if they start here.