WARD ORTHODONTICS – RETENTION/RETAINERS BLOG

  Retention, Retainers, & You

 

We know that once you get your braces off, the last thing you want to talk about is what other kinds of metallic objects need to be stuck in your mouth. Nevertheless, after your braces are removed it is important that you take the process of “retention” as seriously as you took the correction portion of your orthodontic treatment. The first step of this is developing an understanding of what retention is.

 

Once your braces are taken off, your teeth are a bit loose and, therefore, are susceptible to shifting back to their original positions. Accordingly, retention is the process of counteracting this by means of keeping your teeth in place until the bone gradually fills in and hardens teeth into their new positions.

 

Retention is accomplished through the use of retainers – a set of combinatory metal and plastic inserts that are positioned in the upper and lower halves of the mouth to keep teeth in place. The process of retention typically lasts at least 12 months.

 

The first two months require full-time retainer usage (with the exception of when you eat and brush/floss your teeth). The following 10 months entail night-only retainer usage. After that, our team at Ward Orthodontics recommends wearing your retainer while you sleep as often as possible to ensure teeth do not begin moving back to their old positions.

 

When caring for your retainers, there are a few basic instructions to keep in mind, such as:

 

• Never wear retainers while eating.
   
• Clean your retainers daily with your toothbrush.

 

• Always keep your retainers in their case when not in use.

 

• To remove your retainers, pull on their dual metallic loops.

 

• Never place your retainers in hot water, or on very hot surfaces like dashboards.

 

• To get retainers extra clean, soak in a cup of warm water mixed with Efferdent or Polident.

 

• If you break or lose your retainers, contact our Twin Falls office immediately.

 

In addition to knowing the ways in which you can take care of your retainers, be advised that there are different types of retainers out there as well. For example: Hawley Retainers (the most common type), Invisible Retainers, and Permanent Retainers, (which are bonded to the back of the teeth like braces).

 

In order to protect that beautiful, straight smile you achieved through your time with braces, it is vital to take the process of retention seriously. If you have any questions about retention, your different retainer options, or anything else in regards to orthodontic treatment, contact Ward Orthodontics today. Our team would be happy to help!