How long Do I need to wear my retainers?
FOR DR.ROZE BIOHEALTH CLINICS | 08.08.2022
Congratulations! You just completed your braces or Invisalign procedure. You feel great, and then your orthodontist gives you your retainers. It turns out, you’re not as finished as you thought.
You can relax, though–retainers aren’t such a big deal compared to the process you just completed! Plus, it won’t be long until you only need to wear them at night. But how long will you need to keep that up?
1/- Why do I need a retainer?
- When patients get their braces off or finish Invisalign, the first order of business is to develop a plan for wearing retainers. Your teeth are in their new positions now, but teeth have memory and they won’t stay that way unless you’re proactive.
- As your chompers move, they leave behind gaps in the surrounding bone and other tissue. A set of retainers will hold your teeth in place while your tissue catches up. This is why it’s important to wear your retainers full-time for the first 3-6 months.
- The bad news is your teeth are always moving. This process is called a mesial drift, meaning your pearly whites are always on the move. Your retainers will help prevent this from happening as you age.
- To maintain a straight smile for a lifetime, you’re going to need to wear your retainers nightly for the rest of your life. The good news is, after some time it won’t be necessary to wear them as often.
- Though the process becomes slower and slower, if you stop wearing your retainer, your teeth will gradually move back to their original position.
- In a way, teeth remember their original position. Even after the bones and ligaments that surround your teeth change, your teeth will want to slip back into their original alignment.
2/- What are the stages of wearing a removable retainer?
In certain cases, your orthodontist will attach a permanent retainer to the backs of your teeth. Patients that receive this will wear the retainers all the time, even while they eat and brush. This style of retainer can only be removed by a dentist, and when this is taken out, patients will receive a removable retainer to wear during sleep.
Most patients are given a set of retainers that are removed for eating and brushing. We’ve seen the best results when our clients wear their retainer on the following schedule:
- The First 3-6 Months: During this time, retainers should be worn for 22 hours a day or more. The only time they should be removed is to brush and floss or to eat. Your orthodontist will continue to monitor your progress before approving you to wear them at night only.
- The First 2 Years: After your initial time of full-time wear, you will be able to start wearing your retainers during sleep only.
- From the Third Year to the Rest of Your Life: Now, you can wear your retainers a little bit less. Skipping an occasional night or two is no big deal. A good rule of thumb is to aim to wear them every other night.
3/- What happens if I do not wear my retainers?
Throughout your life, your teeth move. If you’ve had braces already, you’re familiar with the fact that the location of your teeth in your mouth is subject to change according to factors such as your age and wearing orthodontic appliances.
Just because your orthodontic treatment is finished doesn’t mean that your teeth are going to stay in place.
If you don’t wear your retainer according to your orthodontist’s instructions, your teeth will tend to shift back into their old placement. This is known as RELAPSING. If you don’t wear your retainer, you may need orthodontic intervention again within 10 years, or even sooner.
If you try to skip wearing your retainer for a couple of weeks or months, your teeth may shift, and your retainer may not fit your teeth properly anymore.
4/- How to keep a bonded retainer clean?
A bonded retainer will need to be cleaned as part of your regular dental hygiene routine. Since you can’t remove a fixed retainer, you’ll need to floss your retainer (and the front of your teeth) with a floss threader.
This takes some practice, but you’ll get the hang of it. Also, make sure to angle your toothbrush vertically as well as horizontally to get rid of any plaque buildup or food particles around your fixed retainer.
This takes some practice, but you’ll get the hang of it. Also, make sure to angle your toothbrush vertically as well as horizontally to get rid of any plaque buildup or food particles around your fixed retainer.
5/- How to keep a removable retainer clean
Clean your removable retainer with lukewarm water every time you remove it. Rinsing your retainer when it’s still wet with your saliva will keep food from hardening on your retainer.
If your orthodontist recommends it, you can purchase a special soaking product to soak your retainer in between uses.
You may also want to use a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste to scrub every part of your retainer once per day. Do this carefully, though, as many kinds of toothpaste are abrasive and can scratch your retainer. Consider asking your orthodontist for advice on which kind to use. If food debris gets trapped in your retainer, use a clean cotton swab dipped in water to clean it out.
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