Retention
When we remove your braces, we will begin the retention stage of your treatment. The retention phase lasts for a minimum of 18 months. Your final orthodontic result depends on your retainers, so follow through with the hard work you’ve put in so far. Remember to remove your retainer before brushing, and brush your retainer before placing it back in your mouth.
Following the active phase of treatment the patient enters the most critical phase of treatment, which is retention. The type of retainer used depends on where your teeth started out and is customized for each patient. Compliance in wearing retainers is absolutely necessary to maintain the result achieved with treatment. If retainers are not worn as directed, the teeth may rapidly drift to their original positions. A retainer never stops fitting unless it is not worn as directed.
Clear Essex Retainer
Schedule for Use:
For the first 7 days after your braces are removed, clear retainers should be worn 24 hours a day. It should be removed when eating and rinsed after drinking to avoid staining. After the first seven days, your retainer should be worn every night until the doctor advises otherwise. Because teeth continue to move throughout life, it is recommended that you continue to wear your retainers as instructed.
If you miss a night or two, wear the retainer full time and bite down to seat it fully. The teeth may be a little sore, but the teeth should realign. If they don’t and the retainer does not fit, call the office immediately.
Retainer Care:
Clean your retainer at least once a day with a toothbrush and water. Soak the retainer in Efferdent or denture cleaner using cool water once a week for five-ten minutes.
Retainer Storage:
When not being worn, you should always keep your retainer in the case you have been given. Do not wrap the retainer in a napkin as that is the most common way they are lost.
What’s Normal:
Some soreness or tenderness the first few days until teeth get used to the appliance. You may try Tylenol or Advil to help reduce the pain. Some changes in speech and excess saliva for the first few days until the tongue gets used to the appliance.
What’s Not Normal:
Difficulty getting retainer in. If the retainer is hard to get in, or is causing pain in the teeth after the initial adjustment period, you may not be wearing it enough and there may be some minor movement of the teeth. If this happens, try to wear the retainer all the time to see if things adjust. If they do not or if you can’t get the retainer in at all, please call the office so we can adjust the retainer.
Semi-Permanent Bonded Retainer
Schedule for Use:
As long as you are doing a good job keeping the fixed retainer clean, it may remain in your mouth indefinitely.
Retainer Care:
Floss, floss, floss. It is very important that you brush and floss thoroughly, paying special attention to the fixed retainer. You will be given flossing instructions using super floss or floss threaders for that area. Be certain that you understand how to use them and floss daily! Your general dentist or dental hygienist can check the fixed retainer at each of your oral hygiene visits. If your fixed retainer becomes detached from any of the teeth, please call the office immediately.
What’s Normal:
Your bite may feel slightly different until you get used to having the retainer in the mouth. It may take a few days for your tongue to get used to the wire and bonding on the inside of the front teeth.
What’s Not Normal:
Anything sharp or poking the tongue. If this happens, the wire may have broken and teeth can shift. Please call the office so we can check the retainer.
You feel you are biting heavy on the retainer glue. If this happens please call us so we can adjust the retainer.
Hawley retainer
Schedule for Use:
For the first 7 days after your braces are removed, Hawley retainer should be worn 24 hours a day. It should be removed when eating and brushing your teeth. After the first seven days, your retainer should be worn every night until the doctor advises otherwise. Because teeth continue to move throughout life, it is recommended that you continue to wear your retainers as instructed.
Retainer Care:
Clean your retainer with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Soak the retainer in Efferdent or denture cleaner using cool water once a week for twenty minutes.
Retainer Storage:
When not being worn, you should always keep your retainer in water in the case you have been given.
General Tips
- Dogs love the acrylic material so always store your retainers in a case when not being worn.
- Do not wrap the retainer in a napkin or place it on a lunch tray or on the table when eating out. This is one of the most common ways that retainers are lost.
- Do not swim with an acrylic retainer, water can flush them out.
- In the event that a retainer is lost, please contact the office immediately to schedule an appointment and find out about replacement costs.
Some soreness or tenderness the first few days until teeth get used to the appliance. You may try Tylenol or Advil to help reduce the pain. Some changes in speech and excess saliva for the first few days until the tongue gets used to the appliance.
What’s Not Normal:
Any irritation or digging into the gums. A wire may have bent while placing or removing your retainer. If this happens, please call the office for adjustment.
