Retainers
Congratulations! You have completed your active orthodontic treatment! Your teeth look great, but you are not done yet. You have entered the “retention phase” of your treatment, which will determine how your teeth will look for years to come. Retainers are required to help keep the teeth from moving back to their original crooked positions.When your braces are removed the teeth may feel “loose’ or “wobbly”. That is because the bone and ligaments that surround and anchor your teeth have stretched or compressed. It may take months for your teeth to feel comfortable in their new position.
Required Retainer Wear
After your braces have been removed it is imperative that you wear your retainers (24/7) full time with the exception of brushing, playing a music instrument or wearing a mouthguard. Clear plastic retainers should not be worn when eating as the plastic covers the biting surface of the teeth and can be easily damaged.
Appointments during the “retention phase” give us the opportunity to check the fit of your retainers, evaluate tooth alignment and bite, and answer any questions you may have regarding your treatment. Your first appointment will be a few months after the removal of your active appliances. After the initial retention visit, you will be given guidelines regarding the required frequency of your retainer wear.
Types of Retainers
We offer different types of retainers
- See retainer color choices here
- Bonded lower wire retainer behind your front teeth. Use your floss threaders to help with flossing.
- Removable retainers can either be plastic with wire around upper or lower front teeth or a clear plastic retainers that fits over upper or lower teeth. Visit our Retainer Designs page to see the different design we have available.
Keep it clean
- Plastic retainers with a wire brush regularly with toothpaste and a toothbrush.
- Clear invisible retainers should be brushed with a liquid hand soap, not toothpaste, to prevent scratching.
- Deposits may be removed by soaking in denture cleaner.
- NEVER attempt to “sterilize” your retainer in hot water or the microwave.
- Carefully placing or removing your retainers in your mouth prevents damage to the wires or plastic.
- Avoid “biting’ your retainers into place or playing with them while in your mouth.
- Your retainer case protects the retainer from being stepped on, thrown away, lost, damaged by your pet, etc.
- DO NOT wrap the retainer in a napkin, as it will likely get thrown away.
- Writing your name and phone number on your retainer case will increase the chances of it being returned to you if you lose it.
Call our office immediately for a repair or replacement appointment. Do not wait until your teeth have moved which could require orthodontic re-treatment. There will be a fee for repairs and replacement retainers, but you should consider this as a good investment in preserving the attractiveness of your smile. Please bring in all the pieces and wires including the bonded lower wire retainer as this will decrease your cost.
Only you can keep you smile looking great! Maintaining your tooth position is a lifetime proposition. Once you have established a routine with your retainers, please continue indefinitely. Whether it is every night, once a week, or once a month, get into the habit of placing your retainer in and checking for movement. If you lose your retainer, start to notice relapse, or your retainers begin to feel loose, call immediately for an appointment. Don’t wait until too much relapse has occurred, as orthodontic re-treatment could be required.
Again, Congratulations on your new smile!
