The Best Smile Maker

It’s All About the Retainer!

Finished with braces? The next step is so important!
THE RETAINER…. This appliance keeps your teeth in place (but only if you wear it).

Now that you have spent about 2 years in braces, they are removed, and you have an AWESOME SMILE! Wow, you feel so free. No more food catch all, timely brushing, etc…

… What, now I have to wear a retainer?

Most patients who have spent time in braces need to wear a retainer after the braces are removed. There are a couple of different types of retainers. A common one is a small, curved piece of plastic and metal that is custom made to fit inside the mouth. Its function is to hold the teeth in their new position.

Why Do I Need a Retainer?

The Orthodontist and you have worked hard to bring your teeth into perfect alignment, and they don’t want to see them lapse back into crookedness. So they take a special precaution to enforce their new position. That special precaution is a RETAINER.

When—- And For How Long Should I Wear My Retainer?

A good rule of thumb….
The first year wear them all the time, the second year wear them to sleep, and beyond that…. wear them enough to keep them fitting. Just like everyone’s teeth are different, everyone has different schedules and timelines for wearing a retainer. For some that is once a month to sleep, others… once a week, and some twice a week. Research has shown that teeth often get progressively more crooked with age, so the longer you wear your retainer, the better the chance of keeping that AWESOME SMILE.

Will It Feel Weird?

A retainer is an adjustment. It feels a little different; you will feel that you talk funny at first. Soon you will forget it is even there.

How Do I Take Care of My Retainers?

It is easy! When you remove it to brush your teeth, simply brush it with toothpaste as well. It is also suggested that you use a denture cleaner (such as efferdent) to give your retainer a super clean. One tablet in cool water…. soak retainer for 20 minutes daily or at least 3 times a week.

Are All Retainers Removable?

There are permanently fixed retainers or “bonded” retainers meant to be placed behind the lower front teeth as they are the most prone to becoming crooked again.
The advantage is that it is not removable and therefore you cannot lose it. The disadvantage is that the teeth are hard to keep clean… which can cause other complications.

What If I Lose My Retainer?

Of course, the best case for the retainer is the mouth, but when you must take it out use a retainer case.
The #1 way to lose a retainer is at mealtime. It is common to remove a retainer to eat, wrap it in a napkin, and put it on a lunch tray in the cafeteria…. and then forget it is there. Where does it end up? Absolutely… in the trash! Many a child and parent have gone dumpster diving. Trust me, you don’t want to do that!
The # 2 way is for a pet to eat it. If it is not in your mouth or in a retainer case… the smell of saliva on the retainer is like a magnet to an animal. Consider it gone.

What If My Retainer Breaks?

If the retainer breaks, many times it is repairable.

Filed under: Good to Know