Remove Braces in Photoshop | Easy Pro-Level Results
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Remove braces in Photoshop with two techniques: paint over them with the Brush Tool, or blur them away with the Smudge Tool and a layer mask.
Are you tired of using the Spot Healing Brush Tool to remove braces in Photoshop and end with smudged results? Look no further! In this tutorial, I will show you two easy techniques to achieve pro-level results.
Every tool in this tutorial works the same way in Photoshop 2023, version 24.2, and in the current version.
Key Takeaways
- Both techniques work non-destructively on a new layer, so the original photo stays untouched.
- The Eyedropper Tool lets you sample the exact tooth color before you paint over the braces.
- Lowering the Brush’s Flow and Opacity keeps the paint-over effect from looking flat or fake.
- The Smudge Tool only works well when Sample All Layers is turned on, since it reads pixels from every layer below.
- An inverted layer mask starts fully hidden, so you paint with white only where you want the smudge effect to show.
Table of contents
- What You Will Learn
- Requirements
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- Technique One To Remove Braces in Photoshop
- Step 1: Create a New Layer
- Step 2: Use the Eyedropper Tool
- Step 3: Paint Over The Braces
- Technique Two To Remove Braces in Photoshop
- Step 1: Create A New Layer
- Step 2: Use The Smudge Tool
- Step 3: Create An Inverted Layer Mask
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Related Links
What You Will Learn
- How to sample tooth color with the Eyedropper Tool and paint over braces on a new layer
- How to use brush Flow and Opacity to build up a paint-over effect gradually
- How to blur braces with the Smudge Tool using Sample All Layers
- How to create an inverted layer mask and reveal the smudge effect with a white brush
Requirements
Before you start
- Photoshop 2023 (version 24.2 or later) or the current version
Practice Files
Download the files used in this tutorial and follow along step by step.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| Temporarily switch to the Eyedropper Tool | Alt | Option |
| Decrease or increase Brush Size | [ or ] | [ or ] |
| Decrease or increase Brush Hardness | Shift [ or Shift ] | Shift [ or Shift ] |
| Create an inverted layer mask | Alt-click Layer Mask icon | Option-click Layer Mask icon |
Technique One To Remove Braces in Photoshop
The first technique involves creating a new layer and using the Eyedropper and Brush Tools to paint over the braces with the color of the teeth.
Step 1: Create a New Layer
The first step is to create a new layer.
This way, you can work non-destructively and keep your adjustments separate from your original photo.
Step 2: Use the Eyedropper Tool
Use the Eyedropper Tool to sample the color of the teeth.
Hover over the teeth with the Brush Tool and hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) to temporarily enable the Eyedropper Tool.
Click to sample the color of the teeth.
Step 3: Paint Over The Braces
Use a soft brush and reduce the Flow and Opacity to build up the effect.
Pro Tip: Use these Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts: [ (Windows) or [ (macOS) and ] (Windows) or ] (macOS) to decrease and increase the Brush Size.
Adjust the Brush Hardness by holding Shift (Windows) or Shift (macOS) and tapping [ (Windows) or [ (macOS) or ] (Windows) or ] (macOS).
Here’s the final result on the top row of the teeth using technique one.
Technique Two To Remove Braces in Photoshop
The second technique uses the Smudge Tool to blur out the braces.
Step 1: Create A New Layer
Always work non-destructively by creating a new layer.
Step 2: Use The Smudge Tool
Use the Smudge Tool with the “Sample All Layers” option checked.
Click-and-drag down, then wiggle the brush side to side to remove straight edges.
Step 3: Create An Inverted Layer Mask
Then, from the Layers panel create an inverted layer mask by holding Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and clicking on the Layer Mask icon.
With the Brush Tool active and white as the foreground color, paint over the braces to reveal the smudged areas. This will create the illusion that there were never braces in the teeth!
Now that you have learned two techniques for removing braces in Photoshop, try them out for yourself and achieve pro-level results.
The same Eyedropper Tool and layer mask approach also works to fix skin tones in Photoshop or whiten eyes in Photoshop.
If the retouched area needs more work, add realistic skin texture to blend it back in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use the Eyedropper Tool to sample the tooth color, then paint over the braces on a new layer with a soft Brush at reduced Flow and Opacity. You can also blur the braces with the Smudge Tool and reveal the effect with an inverted layer mask.
The Brush Tool gives you the most control because you paint the exact tooth color over the braces yourself. The Smudge Tool is faster since it blurs the braces away in one pass, but it needs a layer mask to control where the blur shows.
A new layer keeps your edits separate from the original photo. You can undo, adjust the layer’s opacity, or start over without damaging the pixels underneath.
It tells the Smudge Tool to read pixel color from every visible layer, not just the empty layer you are painting on. Without it, the tool has no pixels to smudge.
Hold Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) and click the Layer Mask icon in the Layers panel. This adds a black mask that hides the whole layer until you paint over it with white.
This tutorial works in Photoshop 2023, version 24.2, and in the current version. The Eyedropper, Brush, Smudge, and layer mask tools have not changed.
Yes. Both the paint-over technique and the Smudge Tool with a layer mask work on any small, repetitive detail you want to soften or remove, such as blemishes or stray hairs.
Conclusion
Both techniques get rid of braces without leaving smudged, obvious edits. The Brush Tool gives you more control, while the Smudge Tool works faster once you have the layer mask set up.
Try both methods on your own portraits to see which one fits your workflow. Watch the full video above, and comment on the video if you have a question.
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Next, learn how to remove blemishes in Photoshop.
Related Links
Final Image
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thank you. These techniques are valuable for so many situations.
Thank you, Fran!
This tutorial is fantastic. Thanks so much.
You’re welcome, Andre!
hehehe…. look real … thanksssss
You’re welcome!
it’s awesome tut, dude !!
Thank you!
The Article is so good.
Which Photoshop sholud I download?
Thank you so much