Services

Retainers

The wearing of retainers is an extremely important part of orthodontic treatment. Retainers are worn after the braces are removed to help hold the teeth stable while the gums and bone adapts. The retainers can removable or bonded to the teeth. Further the removable retainer can be of clear plastic or may need to be of a wire and plastic design. They are worn full-time to start (except for eating, brushing, active sports or playing certain musical instruments. We will inform you when they can be worn less often, but the time may need to be increased if they begin to fit tightly. They should be handled delicately as they can be broken. In addition, they can be damaged by heat and pets, so please keep them in their case when not in use.

Retainers

Retainers also need to be cleaned daily. Denture cleaning tablets and a toothbrush is effective in this. We do not recommend toothpaste on the clear retainers and they become less clear over time. It is very important to brush and floss the teeth carefully when a bonded wire retainer is present.

We will review with you the proper techniques and have additional handouts for retainers once you braces are removed.

Research shows that teeth can shift as a person gets older whether that person had had braces or not. It is one way that the body changes as one gets older. This is true even if you do not develop wisdom teeth. Therefore, retainers ideally should be worn indefinitely and not just for the two years after treatment. If a retainer is lost or broken, please contact us as soon as possible so that it can be replaced.