Retainers for Moving Teeth

Your retainer is a removable appliance designed to allow for some simple tooth movements in order to improve the functionality or aesthetics of your teeth. It is extremely important to wear your retainer as directed so that your teeth will move in the desired directions.

Proper care of your retainers is important to maintaining their life.

Wear Instructions:

• Wear your retainers at all times except while brushing and flossing.
• Typically, it is best to eat with your retainer in so that it is not lost. Once done eating, you may rinse and/or brush your retainer.
• You may experience some tooth discomfort since one or more springs are being utilized to move your teeth. Almost always the discomfort can be relieved with either Tylenol^® or Advil^® taken as directed.
• If your speech is affected, it should return to normal within a few days of wearing your retainer.
• If you have soreness, it usually disappears within a few days. Occasionally, a localized sore spot can occur after 3 or 4 days of wearing your retainer. If this occurs, please call our office for an appointment.

Care Instructions:

• Keep your retainer clean by brushing it with cool water and toothpaste or mouthwash and occasionally soak it in over-the-counter denture cleanser. NEVER soak it in hot water.
• When it's not in your mouth, keep your retainer in the provided retainer case given to you. Retainers wrapped in napkins or left on counters are often thrown away and those placed in pockets are usually broken.
• Keep retainers away from pets. Retainers rank second only to homework of those things eaten most frequently by dogs.

Other Instructions:

• Bring your retainer to each appointment so it can be checked and adjusted as necessary.
• If you ever feel that your retainer has become distorted in any way, please call us so that the appropriate adjustments can be made.
• Lost or broken retainers need to be replaced and a fee will be assessed.

RETAINERS AFTER BRACES

Congratulations! Your braces are off and we hope that you are proud of your teeth because you had to work hard alongside us to create your beautiful smile. If we were able to, we have 'permanently' placed a wire behind your lower front teeth and possibly upper front teeth and should remain there to minimize tooth movement. The wire can be removed at any time rather easily, but should only be done so if you no longer can tolerate it or you cannot maintain proper hygiene. Your tongue may rub the wire initially, which could cause your tongue to be sore, but this will subside within a few days. You will also be given removable retainers designed to maintain your teeth in their corrected positions. It is extremely important to wear your retainer as directed as your teeth begin to stabilize and the bone and gums around them matures. Proper care of your retainers is important to maintaining their lifespan.

Wear Instructions:

• Wear your retainers at all times except while brushing or eating.
• Typically, we will ask you to wear your retainer while sleeping at night forever. While a reduced wear schedule is possible later, we have found that wearing nightly as a routine is the surest way to minimize future tooth movement.
• If your speech is affected, it should return to normal within a few days of wearing your retainer.
• If you have soreness, it usually disappears within a few days. Occasionally, a localized sore spot can occur after 3 or 4 days of wearing your retainer. If this happens, please call our office for an appointment.

Care Instructions:

• Keep your retainer clean by brushing it with cool water and mouthwash and occasionally soak it in over-the-counter denture cleanser. NEVER soak it in hot water.
• When it is not in your mouth, keep your retainer in the provided retainer case given to you. Retainers wrapped in napkins or left on counters are often thrown away and those placed in pockets are usually broken.
• Keep retainers away from pets. Retainers rank second only to homework of those things eaten most frequently by dogs.

Other Instructions:

• Bring your retainer to each appointment so it can be checked and adjusted as necessary.
• If you ever feel that your retainer has become distorted in any way, please call us so that the appropriate adjustments can be made.
• Lost or broken retainers need to be replaced and a fee will be assessed.