Retainers are more meaningful than patients may realize when they start orthodontic treatment. Once you have the smile you want, how do you keep it in place? 303 Smiles will be answering one of our most asked questions from our patients finishing their orthodontic treatment. Why is it so important to use a retainer after finishing my braces treatment?
The End of an Era
Before we talk about the role that retainers eventually play, let’s go over what the end of active orthodontic treatment looks like. This will depend on what method of treatment Dr. Straffon has chosen for you, but it generally goes something like this:
- Removal of Braces or Aligners: If you wore Damon metal braces or Pitts21 braces, Dr. Straffon will expertly remove the brackets, wires, and any other fixed components from your teeth, a quick and painless process. For Invisalign users, simply discontinuing the use of your trays marks the end of treatment.
- Teeth Cleaning and Polishing: After removing permanent braces, we’ll thoroughly clean and polish your teeth to remove any residue, leaving them smooth and free of leftover material.
- Retainer Fitting: Detailed digital scans of your teeth are taken to create your bespoke retainers—a process familiar to those who use clear aligners. Depending on your needs, you may receive either a fixed retainer (bonded to the back of your teeth) or a traditional removable retainer (clear plastic or wire-based).
- Guidelines for Retainer Use: You’ll start by wearing your retainers full-time, removing them only to eat, drink, or clean your teeth. This will usually shift to nighttime wear after a certain period.
- Celebrating Your New Smile: Our team will capture before-and-after photos to highlight your smile transformation! With your beautifully aligned teeth (and/or bite and jaws), you’re ready to bask in the confidence that comes with a brand-new smile.
But now, a new challenge begins: making sure to maintain your results!
The Retention Relay
You might wonder what exactly the so-called “retention phase” entails. There are a lot of considerations you can take when using your retainer to ensure you’re getting the best out of the experience.
- Educate Yourself Effectively: Remember that one of our roles is to answer your questions without judgment. Never hesitate to bring up any questions or concerns that arise in your treatment process.
- Wear Your Retainers as Directed: If you were an Invisalign patient, you’re very familiar with what a wear schedule looks like and how important it is to stick to it. Dr. Straffon will give you a specific timeline for when and how to wear your retainer. Do your best to adhere to this.
- Consistency Wins: Orthodontic treatment is a long-term process, and part of that is the retention phase itself. Retainer use often goes on indefinitely, for some hours of each day or night.
- Handle with Care: Always return your retainer safely to its case when it is not in use. Avoid misplacing it or damaging it—the appliance itself is quite delicate and can be warped easily if mishandled or left out in the sunlight.
- Clean Your Retainers Well: Hygiene is also fundamental to retainer use. Since this is an appliance you’re wearing over and over again, you must clean it daily with a toothbrush and mild soap, or other cleaning solution. The goal here is to avoid bacteria from forming on the retainer, which can cause some (smelly) issues if it goes ignored.
- Maintain Good Oral Hygiene: In addition to cleaning your retainers, you should also be committed to keeping your teeth clean by regular brushing and flossing. The same goes for your gums, which keep your teeth stable.
- Attend Appointments: Your appointment schedule after active treatment will probably be a little less frequent than before, but these are still important visits. Attending both your visits at 303 Smiles and your general dentist will help ensure your results and overall dental health remain on the right track.
- Watch for Shifting: Should you ever neglect your wear schedule and notice that your teeth are starting to shift back into their original positions, please take this seriously and let Dr. Straffon and our team know as soon as you can. The consequences here are obvious—we don’t want you to undo your hard work.
Keeping Up the Good Work
One positive thing to consider is that by the time you’ve reached this phase of treatment, you’ve probably already gained some great experience in keeping up a healthy oral routine. The hope is that this continues after active treatment concludes. 303 Smiles is here to help ensure that happens. Come see us in Greenwood Village soon!