Your Removable Retainer

When your braces have been removed we will give you a retainer to keep your teeth straight. After your first post-treatment check-up, we will only need to see you every six months. If you have any difficulty with your retainer, please call us and we will see you as soon as possible.

Why Do I Need a Retainer?

There are two reasons that we give all of our patients retainers. The first reason is that the teeth are held in the bone by ligaments that are elastic and have "memory". The teeth remember their original crooked positions and want to go back to that position. This is called relapse.

The second reason is that we all get older and as we age, the teeth tend to shift. This happens to most people regardless of whether they have ever had braces or not. Retainers are not a guarantee that your teeth will never move. Remember, we all age, even your teeth. Orthodontic treatment can straighten the teeth but we cannot prevent you from aging.

However, the retainer will keep the teeth as straight as possible and help minimize both the orthodontic relapse as well as the aging changes. Leaving the retainers out for even a short period of time can allow the teeth to shift, even years after the braces are removed.

Special Points to Remember

• At first, the retainer must be worn all the time, day and night, and especially while eating. It should be removed only to clean it and to brush your teeth. Eventually you will need to wear the retainer only at night.
• It may affect your speech and make eating difficult for the first couple of days as you adjust to it. Be patient.
• Retainers are not lost if they are in your mouth. If you lose your retainer there is a charge for a new one. If it is broken and cannot be repaired in the office, there will be a charge for a lab repair.
• To clean it, use liquid dishwashing soap and a toothbrush, which you use only for your retainer. Heating your retainer in any way will cause it to become distorted.
• Please call our office right away if you have any problem.

Please remember that this is the most important part of your whole treatment. We can straighten your teeth but only you can make sure that they stay straight!

Show off your new smile!