Retainers

Will I need Retainers?

Many patients want to know if they will need to wear retainers after their treatment for braces is completed. Because teeth will continue to move throughout a lifetime, retainers will work to prevent the teeth from returning to their pre-braces positions. Retainers are devices used to keep teeth in their new places after finishing orthodontic braces treatment.

Nearly all patients will need to wear retainers for some time to ensure that their teeth remain in their newly aligned positions. Depending on the new alignment of your teeth, your retainers will be either permanent or removable. Your Oasis Orthodontist will work with you to design the most appropriate retainer solution for your situation.

Types of Retainers

1. Permanent Retainers

   These retainers are commonly referred to as fixed retainers. They involve the use of thin wires bonded in place behind the upper and lower teeth to keep the teeth in their new position and prevent them from moving back into their positions. Your Oasis Orthodontist will determine how long the retainers will need to be kept in place.

2. Removable Retainers

   Removable retainers are either clear moulded mouth guards or a wire retainer made from moulded acrylic and fitted to the roof of the patient’s mouth. These types of retainers need to be taken out to brush your teeth and to eat. They must be worn every day to keep your teeth in their newly aligned positions. Your Oasis Orthodontist will develop a daily wearing schedule that will be altered when no new movement of your teeth is detected.

Who Needs to Wear Retainers?

Retainers are worn by:

• Males and Females
• All ethnic groups
• All nationalities
• Young Patients
• Teenager Patients
• Adult Patients

How Retainers Work After Braces

During the time that you wore braces, your gums and supporting ligaments were loose. Because your gums and ligaments are still loose when your braces were removed, they will need a period to tighten up. It is during this time period that retainers will play the important function of holding your teeth in their new positions.

Permanent retainers will remain in place until your teeth are firmly fixed in place and not in danger of returning to their pre-braces positions. Removable retainers may initially need to be worn all day and all night except for teeth cleaning and eating.

The number of hours that your removable retainers need to be worn will be adjusted over time based on the reduced amount of tooth movement observed during periodic checkups.

There are no standard schedules for the type of retainers a person will need nor any precise timeline that retainers will need to be worn. The best retainer treatment plan is an individual plan developed for you.

But, the one strict standard is that retainers are the best option available to help you retain the teeth corrections gained during the many months of wearing braces.

Retainer Importance

Each person is unique, and your teeth and jaw change as you age. Meaning you will need the knowledge and experience to determine which type of retainer is best suited for your results.

Retainers are custom made orthodontic devices designed to keep your newly aligned teeth in the positions where they were moved to while you were wearing braces. Obtaining and maintaining your beautifully aligned teeth is a two-part process. The first part is braced, and the second part is the retainers.

When you follow the wearing schedules developed by your Oasis Orthodontist, you will have a great smile with straight teeth for a lifetime. Retainers are the most reliable option to help you retain your beautiful smiles. Even well-known celebrities have benefited from wearing braces and retainers.

Your Oasis Orthodontist will work with you to find the best retainer solution to get the best results for your oral health.

What to Expect When Wearing Retainers

Retainers can sometimes create discomfort for the wearer, such as with braces. There is that pressure that you may feel, but it is much less than when you were wearing your aligners. It is also possible to experience a little soreness in the mouth.
If you notice that your retainer is cutting into your gums or causing any type of pain, you should talk to your orthodontist right away. It is not an alarming situation since it is highly likely that the retainer simply requires some adjustment.

While wearing a retainer, you should also expect the following effects:

• It may be difficult to speak, but it should only last for a few days.
• You may need to talk slower as you try to get used with retainers in the mouth.
• Saliva production may increase over the next several days.

If you experience all the effects above, you should not be worried. They are common and should go away after a few weeks. You can also discuss with Oasis Orthodontics if you are currently feeling any discomfort.

How to “Retain” Your Retainer

The key to getting the best results with your retainer is to make sure that you are taking care of the appliance. Retainers are custom-built, and therefore you should follow your orthodontist’s instructions to the T.

Some of these instructions may include:

• Keep your retainer clean and fresh daily.
• Rinse the appliance with warm water to remove any bacteria build-up. This method is best for acrylic retainers.
• Disinfect the retainer at least once weekly. You can use distilled water for soaking the appliance. Add a little bit of baking soda for a stronger and more effective mixture.
• Never place the retainer inside a dishwasher. It is also not recommended to use boiling water for cleaning. Even toothpaste and harsh chemicals should never be used.
• If you have a clear retainer, you will still need to rinse it with warm water, especially after removing it from your mouth. You may have to scrub it using a soft bristle toothbrush.
• Retainers can get stained. If you do not want to see any stains, you should never eat when you wear them. Remove them first before you consume food.

Finally, you should always keep the retainers safe in their storage, which should also be clean and disinfected.

Can Retainers Be Used Before Wearing Braces?

The answer to this question is “no.” If you have any teeth crowding or any other issue, you should not turn to retainers as your solution. Some people mistake the first phase orthodontic appliance as retainers because they do resemble each other. However, retainers should only be used after treating teeth with braces. Their purpose is to simply ensure that teeth will maintain their new positions in the mouth.

Which is the Best Type of Retainer for Me?

Retainers can be removable, and they have wires. This type is known as the Hawley retainer. Another is a vacuum-formed retainer, which comes in clear plastic trays. You can fit them over your teeth, so they do not shift.

The type of retainer you should wear will depend on what your orthodontist from Oasis Orthodontics tells you. After the assessment of your case, you will have a custom-made retainer that suits your situation.