Maintaining Your New Smile
Congratulations! You've completed your active orthodontic treatment. Your new smile is ready, and it's time to show it off.
Now that your braces are off or you've removed your final aligners, it's time for the maintenance phase. This involves wearing a retainer to keep your teeth straight.
Standard removable retainers are made from an acrylic arch that rests on the roof of the mouth, along with a metal wire that encircles the front teeth. This metal wire keeps your teeth in position and can even be adjusted to fine-tune the results of your treatment.
Removable aligner-style retainers offer a clear alternative to wire retainers. This clear retainer can fit over the entire arch of your teeth, or just from canine to canine.
Fixed retainers are wires bonded to the backs of your front teeth. The lower front teeth shift easily in adulthood, so we often recommend a fixed wire retainer for them.
Retainers are the essential final step in your orthodontic treatment journey. Our Smile Protection Program makes this part of your treatment easy.
Enroll in Our Smile Protection Program
To help our patients manage the cost ofs post-treatment retainers, we're pleased to offer our Smile Protection Program. It's easy, and it takes the worry out of replacing your retainers.
Why You Need a Retainer
After you complete your active orthodontic treatment, you'll need a retainer to stabilize your smile and prevent future shifting.
During your orthodontic treatment, your aligners or braces work to move your teeth and roots into new positions. As the roots shift, the surrounding bone reforms to secure them in place.
This process can take some time. It can continue for many months after the initial movement of the roots has taken place.
Preserving Your Results
Wearing a retainer helps to stabilize your teeth during this process, giving the surrounding jawbone the time it needs to reform and harden around the roots. This stops the teeth from returning to their original positions, undoing all the orthodontic treatment you've undergone for months or years.
Retainer FAQs
Learn more about retainers by reading these frequently asked questions from our patients.
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How long do I have to wear my retainer?
Retainers are a long commitment for all orthodontic patients. They ensure that your new, straighter smile remains so after finishing treatment with braces or clear aligners.
You'll have to wear your retainer full-time (about 24 hours a day) for at least three months after your active orthodontic treatment is complete and nightly after that.
Anyone can experience their teeth shifting over time. Orthodontic patients are even more prone to this and should wear retainers for as long as they want straight teeth.
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How often do I have to wear my retainer?
For the first few months after active orthodontic treatment, your orthodontist will instruct you to wear your retainer 24 hours daily. This is because these early months of the retention phase are when your teeth are most likely to relapse (shift back to their pre-treatment positions).
During this time, you'll take your retainer out only to eat, brush and floss your teeth, or play sports (when you'll need to wear a sports mouth guard instead).
Over time, your teeth will settle into their new positions, and your risk of relapse will decrease. When your orthodontist has determined you're ready, you can start wearing your retainer for fewer hours a day. For many people, this means overnight retainer wear only.
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How often should I replace my retainer?
With proper care and correct use, most retainers can last for years.
Here are some of the signs indicating that a new retainer might be in order:
Cracks or Chips
When you start noticing chips or cracks in your retainer, it's time to replace it. This type of damage will only get worse over time, and it will also compromise the structural integrity of the retainer, making it less effective.
Poor Fit
Retainers are designed to be sturdy and durable, but they may start to loosen over time with wear. If you notice that the fit is loose, it's important to replace your retainer because at that point, it is no longer effectively supporting your teeth.
Excessive Buildup
Cleaning your retainer regularly will help to keep it in good condition. However, even if you're doing this, stubborn buildup can occur over time. If your retainer has buildup that can't be removed with a thorough cleaning, it should be replaced.
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Can I eat or drink while wearing my retainer?
You should always take your retainer out when eating and if you're drinking hot liquids or highly pigmented ones to prevent the retainer from getting warped or stained.
However, it is perfectly safe to drink water while wearing your retainer.
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How do I clean my orthodontic retainer?
Clean your retainer at least once daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and some mild, unscented liquid soap. This removes food debris, plaque, and bacteria. When you're done, rinse the retainer with cool or room-temperature water to remove the soap.
We also suggest soaking your retainer using specially made retainer cleaning tablets dissolved in water as needed. This can help loosen any stubborn buildup and leave your retainer feeling fresh.
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How do I store my retainer?
We recommend storing your retainer in the case it comes in any time it's not in your mouth. When you're not wearing or cleaning your retainer, it's important to store it somewhere safe so it doesn't get lost or damaged.
Always remember to clean and dry your retainer and its carrying case thoroughly first, to prevent bacteria from forming.
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What happens if I forget to put my retainer in?
It is vital to your treatment that you wear your retainer as prescribed after you complete orthodontic treatment.
That said, if you occasionally forget to wear your retainer for short periods of time, you probably have nothing to worry about. Just go back to wearing it consistently as soon as you remember.
Keep in mind that if you don't consistently wear your retainer, your teeth could shift out of position, and you'll require more corrective orthodontic treatment to realign them. To avoid this, prioritize wearing your retainer as prescribed.