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All About Retainers
If you are reading this page, we would like to thank you for your efforts in helping us to treat you and your malocclusion. The appliances are off, your smile is delightful, and we trust you are satisfied as we are with the results. However, to maintain the finished result, it is imperative that you adhere to your retention schedule. If it is not followed, your teeth may shift to the extent that re-treatment, with additional expense, may be needed. This can be avoided by simply wearing your retainers as directed.
Retainer Instructions
- Wear your retainers all the time except when eating and drinking, unless we instruct you otherwise. Do not chew gum with your retainers in. Usually retainers are worn full-time for six to twelve months to allow the teeth to stabilize (heal) in their new positions. After this initial period, usually the retainers are worn at night, while sleeping. Teeth can shift throughout a lifetime and while you may eventually wean down to wearing the retainer one night a week or even one night a month, you should keep your retainer to help avoid natural age-related movement of the teeth. After you "graduate" from our office, your dentist will check your retainers at your regular dental check-ups.
- Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to them faster.
- Take your retainers out to eat and clean, and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms, restaurants or are mangled by the house pet.)
- Clean retainers thoroughly at least once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Brushing retainers removes the food debris and plaque, and eliminates odors. Efferdent or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used as well, but do not take the place of brushing the retainer. If your retainer is the clear overlay type (invisible) used for daytime wear, use soap and mouthwash. Toothbrush bristles and toothpaste can scratch these "invisible" retainers causing a cloudy appearance. Do not place retainers in hot water as they will warp.
- When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case. Pets love to chew on them! For children, one case should be kept in the locker or desk at school while another case remains in the bathroom at home.
- Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins-as well as dogs, cats and little kids!
- If you have any questions or concerns about your retainers, or your retainers need adjustment, call us. Do not try to adjust them yourself.
- Always bring your retainers to your appointments.
- Remove retainers when swimming or playing contact sports. For these sports you should wear a mouthguard fit to your teeth.
- Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers become too loose, or lost or broken, call us immediately.
- Retainer replacement is expensive; with proper care they will last for years!
The retainers are generally worn full-time for a short period (two to six months), and then worn periodically (typically nightly during sleep), for as long as the orthodontist recommends. It is possible for the teeth to stay aligned without regular retainer wear. However, there are many reasons teeth will crowd as a person ages. For this reason, many orthodontist recommend periodic retainer wear for many years (or indefinitely) after orthodontic treatment.
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