Why You Shouldnt Keep Taking Off Your Retainer Then Wearing It Again

Is Wearing a Retainer Necessary Subsequently Braces or Invisalign Treatment?

Y'all just got your braces removed or you lot took out your final Invisalign® tray and you have a stunning smile to show for information technology. Of course, you'll want to maintain your results for life. The only way to do that is past wearing orthodontic retainers. When a patient hears this, the first affair they commonly enquire is, how long do I accept to wear retainers? Well, our Bellaire and Houston orthodontists have you covered.

In this post, they'll talk about:

• What is a retainer?
• Why do I demand to wear retainers?
• How long do I have to clothing retainers later on Invisalign or braces?
• What if my servant doesn't fit anymore?
• How long exercise retainers terminal?
• What servant instructions should I follow?

What is a Retainer?

Before we dive into how long you lot take to wear retainers, allow's have a refresher on what a retainer is. A dental servant is a custom-fit appliance that holds your teeth in their new positions after they've been straightened. When you lot end braces or Invisalign, Dr. Tabakman, Dr. Bloome, Dr. Wadler or Dr. Khan will design custom retainers for y'all and you'll boot off the concluding phase of your treatment, known every bit the retention phase.

At that place are two principal types of retainers:

Removable Retainers

Removable retainers are, well, removable, hence the proper noun. There are two kinds of removable retainers:

• Essix Retainer – An Essix retainer, sometimes called an Invisalign servant by patients, is a clear plastic retainer that looks like an Invisalign aligner. It fits over the entire arch of teeth and is fabricated from smooth, BPA-costless, clear plastic, so it'southward virtually invisible and comfortable. The majority of our Bellaire and Houston patients opt for clear retainers after braces or Invisalign treatment.

• Hawley Retainer – A Hawley retainer, or wire retainer, is made of an acrylic piece that sits against the roof or bottom of the oral fissure and an attached metallic wire that wraps effectually the teeth. The wire is visible and this type of retainer is more noticeable than a clear plastic retainer. We don't use Hawley retainers that frequently anymore at our do, even so, occasionally we'll recommend them because they can be adjusted to achieve modest tooth movements.

Fixed Retainers

A fixed retainer, too called a permanent retainer or bonded retainer, consists of a thin metal wire that'southward bonded to the dorsum of the teeth on the tongue side, and then it'south not visible when you smile. Permanent retainers tin can remain in place for years or even decades with proper care. Nosotros use fixed retainers when we need to provide an extra layer of stability for teeth that are probable to shift. Most normally, patients who need a stock-still retainer will have it placed on the bottom teeth and they'll wear a removable retainer on the summit teeth.

Why Practice I Need to Wear Retainers?

During the active phase of your orthodontic treatment, which is when you lot're wearing your braces or Invisalign, your jawbone breaks downwards and the periodontal ligaments loosen to allow the teeth to move where nosotros direct them. While this process, called bone remodeling, has to happen in order for your new grinning to take shape, it takes time for new bone to form and the ligaments to tighten dorsum upwards in order to secure your teeth in position. Retainers hold your teeth in their new places while this happens, helping to stabilize your teeth and bite and lock in your results.

If y'all don't wearable a retainer after braces or Invisalign treatment, your teeth volition shift back towards their old positions. Wearing retainers is the simply way to terminate this and protect the investment you fabricated in your smiling. Even subsequently your tooth positions are stable, the teeth will still move a fleck over time and near people experience natural changes to their smile as they age. Retainers go along these changes to a minimum too.

How Long Exercise I Have to Habiliment Retainers Subsequently Invisalign or Braces?

Now for the million dollar question: How long practice you have to wear a retainer? For the start few months after braces or Invisalign, nosotros have most patients wear their retainers full fourth dimension while the os and tissues rebuild to concord the teeth in place. Merely like with Invisalign aligners, you'll but take your retainers out to eat, potable anything bated from apparently water, brush and floss your teeth, and wear a mouthguard when playing sports.

Afterward several months, your teeth will be more than stable and the adventure of relapse will exist lower. At that indicate, you lot'll only habiliment your retainers at dark. While it can vary depending on your individual needs, this phase of wearing retainers every night unremarkably lasts at to the lowest degree as long as yous had braces or Invisalign.

Eventually, yous'll transition to wearing your retainers a few nights a week. Do you accept to wear a retainer forever? Ideally, yeah. While wearing a retainer is most crucial in the time immediately after your orthodontic treatment, wearing retainers a few nights a calendar week for life will preclude teeth shifting, as well as natural age-related changes. In fact, 1 of the most common reasons our developed braces and Invisalign patients visit us for treatment is because they experienced a relapse subsequently not wearing their servant for several years.

What if My Retainer Doesn't Fit Anymore?

Fifty-fifty after just a few days of forgetting to habiliment your retainer, it tin can feel tight. After not wearing a retainer for a calendar month or more, it will be uncomfortable. If you lot can put in your retainers without having to forcefulness them, continue wearing them. Whatever tenderness or aching will subside with regular use.

If you find you need to strength a tight retainer over your teeth, you shouldn't wearable it. Instead, give our role a call every bit before long every bit possible and we'll brand a replacement for you. Don't put off getting a new servant, because a retainer is designed to hold your teeth where they are. If you lot have pregnant shifting, that could hateful needing another circular of orthodontic treatment.

How Long Do Retainers Last?

How long a retainer lasts depends on how well you care for it. A permanent servant can terminal for decades as long as yous keep it clean. If plaque builds up around it, it tin lead to molar decay and could demand to exist removed.

Removable Hawley retainers and clear retainers don't last every bit long equally bonded retainers, yet, they too tin exist used for years. To prolong your retainers' life spans, keep them in their retainer case when you lot're not wearing them, avoid exposing them to extreme oestrus (such as leaving them in a hot motorcar or drinking hot java with them in) and handle them with care. If you detect whatsoever cracks or chips or the servant isn't plumbing equipment properly, it could exist fourth dimension for a replacement.

What Retainer Instructions Should I Follow?

To go along your retainers in top-notch shape and ensure they're able to hold your teeth in place, your Houston or Bellaire, TX orthodontist will give you retainer instructions. While your exact retainer instructions may vary slightly depending on your needs, the post-obit will ensure your retentiveness stage is a success:

• The only fashion your retainer will piece of work is if yous use it! Follow Dr. Tabakman, Dr. Bloome, Dr. Wadler or Dr. Khan's schedule for wearing your retainer.

• At Houston Orthodontic Specialists, patients come in for occasional visits during the kickoff year of their retention menstruum. Keep up with these appointments, so we can monitor your smile and make sure your servant is working properly. Bring your retainers with you lot to these retainer checks.

• If we place a permanent servant after Invisalign or braces, exist diligent about brushing and flossing your retainer and proceed up with your regular dental visits. Similar to caring for braces, using an interproximal brush or floss threader tin be helpful for getting underneath the wire. Removing plaque is cardinal to preventing tooth decay.

• When you lot accept out your retainers to eat, put them in their servant example. If you put them on a napkin or tissue, there'south a good chance y'all'll accidentally throw them abroad.

• Keep Hawley retainers and clear plastic retainers away from pets. They beloved to chew on them!

• Remove your retainers before eating or drinking anything aside from plain water. If y'all have a clear retainer, this is specially of import, because food and liquid can get stuck under the retainer, which tin increase your chance of cavities and staining.

• Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and mild, unscented dish lather or not-annoying toothpaste to clean your retainers whenever you castor your teeth. You can also soak your retainers in a servant cleaning solution once a week or and so to give them a deeper clean.

• Don't get out clear retainers in a hot car or go out them in your mouth when you drink a hot drinkable like coffee or tea. And, always rinse them in lukewarm, not hot, water. Extreme estrus tin crusade the plastic to warp and touch on the fit of your retainer.

• In the example of a damaged or lost retainer, call Houston Orthodontic Specialists right abroad. Y'all'll want to take it replaced immediately and so your teeth don't shift.

Join Our Retainer Club and Never Worry Near a Lost Retainer

Our Retainer Club is the near affordable way to ensure you lot e'er have a retainer on mitt. For a reasonable, one-time accuse, which can be included in your 0% financing at the beginning of handling or purchased whatsoever time after, you'll exist able to replace ane upper or lower Essix retainer per quarter without having to pay a replacement fee. Give usa a call or ask us at your next appointment for more details.

At present that you know how long you have to clothing retainers and why they're important, we hope y'all accept all of the information you lot need to take intendance of your new smile. Not a patient yet? Allow'south change that! Schedule a costless consultation with a Bellaire or Houston orthodontist today!

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Source: https://www.houstonortho.com/how-long-do-i-have-to-wear-retainers/

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