Retainers
You’ll need to wear a retainer after receiving orthodontic treatment. Dr. Kim at Highline Dental Practice can help you with all your needs for orthodontic treatment. What do “retainers” mean? They are either fixed or removable appliances that keep your teeth aligned from shifting back into their original positions once your braces are removed.
Let’s move on to more about retainers and their types now.
How Do Retainers Work?
A teeth retainer is an orthodontic appliance designed specifically for you and placed over the teeth in your mouth. After braces, it aids in maintaining your teeth’s new, ideal alignment.
Even after getting braces to straighten them, your teeth aren’t completely secure in their new position. The muscles, bones, and gums must first adapt to the change before this happens. Daily activities like grinding and eating may drive your teeth to move. Teeth shifting may also contribute to malocclusion. When your mouth is closed, your upper and lower teeth will not line up.
Your teeth won’t relapse if you wear retainers. Teeth need to be regularly reminded of their new position. Retainers are essential to the success of your orthodontic treatment because the movement can occur before you notice it.
What Sort Of Retainers Is Available For Teeth?
- Fixed retainers that remain in your mouth.
- Detachable retainers that you may remove.
Many dental professionals combine fixed and permanent retainers to maintain proper dental alignment. Both varieties could be present at once. All retainers serve this goal to ensure that your alignment lasts for years.
Fixed Retainers
A bonding substance that resembles glue keeps fixed retainers on your teeth, also known as permanent retainers. Such a retainer is impossible for you to take out on your own. These fixed retainers are frequently employed to prevent the front, upper, or lower teeth from slipping or dislodging over time.
Another typical kind of retainer is a lingual wire. Your front teeth have a little bit of metal attached to the back of them (usually the lower, but upper teeth can have them as well.) It is usually referred to as a permanent retainer because a dental practitioner is needed to remove it.
Removable Retainers
How are dental retainers fitted?
Removable retainers:
Using dental putty, a soft substance akin to play dough, your provider takes an impression of your teeth.
The trays filled with dental putty are placed over your teeth. It leaves a mark on the putty that is unique to your bite and tooth arrangement. The process of taking your teeth impression takes one to two minutes.
The mold is then sent to the dental laboratory to produce a plastic (or acrylic) teeth retainer. The retainer often takes a week or longer to arrive.
Digital imprints are often taken in dental offices. The conventional impressions above can be substituted by digital impressions depending on the requirement. Your dentist will take pictures of your teeth and gums using a portable wand during this procedure. The photos are then combined by a computer program to produce a three-dimensional model of your mouth.
Fixed retainers:
Your dentist uses a metal wire to gauge the proper location of your teeth.
The wire is fixed in place using adhesive.
This complex technique requires more time than taking an imprint for a detachable retainer. However, your retainer is still in place when you leave the dentist’s clinic. The retainer may be made now; you do not need to wait for a laboratory.
Do Retainers Cause Discomfort?
It shouldn’t hurt when you receive your retainer after removing your braces. Over your teeth, they should fit snugly yet comfortably.
You could experience pain if:
You briefly need to remember to wear your retainer before starting to do so again.
You try to put on your retainer after a long period of not doing so.
If in case, your retainer gets damaged or breaks
If you experience discomfort, your retainer is probably pushing your teeth into the proper position. You shouldn’t experience any pain or discomfort if you wear your retainer as instructed by your dental professional and it’s in good condition.
How To Take Care Of Your Retainer?
To ensure that your retainer lasts a long time, keep it from becoming misplaced or destroyed. Cleaning daily once can help keep it in excellent shape.
Keep in mind the following to avoid losing or damaging your retainer:
- It would be best if you took out your retainer before eating.
- Retain the retainer in its case while not in use.
- If you have a retainer on, avoid chewing gum.
- It would be best if you did not place your retainer in a pocket or handbag.
- Keep your pets out of your retainer and out of harm’s way.
- To keep your removable retainer clean, use antibacterial soap and water often since certain toothpaste is excessively abrasive and might harm your retainer.
- Use Warm water to rinse your retainer after brushing and flossing.
- You can use effervescent cleaning on some types of retainers. Consult your dentist for further details on cleaning your retainer.
- If your retainer turns yellow, thoroughly clean it with water, baking soda, and a soft toothbrush.
- Maintain good tooth hygiene by flossing around a permanent retainer.
- Ask your dentist for precise instructions on how to care for your retainer. They could give a cleaning demonstration.
What to Expect?
Orthodontic teeth misalignment patients are advised to put on a retainer to maintain the correct position of the teeth continuously for at least six months. The patient can discontinue wearing the retainer altogether after about six months. Every six to nine months, Dr. Kim will see you to monitor the retention of your bite and smile and to ensure retainer placement and correct teeth alignment.
We advise wearing your retainer at night permanently because as you age, the muscles surrounding your teeth will become tighter and pressure them, causing them to move or crowd.
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FAQ
1. How to clean dental retainers?
Be sure to properly clean your retainers at least once a day, ideally just before putting them in your mouth. Use lukewarm water but not hot water. Plaque is removed and smells are gone when your retainers are rinsed. A denture cleanser, like efferdent, should be used to properly clean your retainers at least once every two weeks.
2. How long do dental retainers last?
You are not obligated to wear your retainers endlessly. If you’ve been wearing your retainers for more than 6 months, you can wear them exclusively at night or miss wearing them for a day or two without affecting your development.
3. what is a dental retainer used for?
Using a retainer helps keep your teeth in place and prevents them from moving. Consider the following: Braces straighten your teeth, but retainers keep them straight. They aid in the “retention” of your teeth position.
4. Can your dental retainer be repaired?
If your retainer breaks, make an appointment with your dentist immediately to get it repaired. To maintain your teeth straight, the dental expert will repair or replace them.
5. Can dental retainers cause illness?
Bacteria on your retainers can potentially cause Staph infections, which can be fatal. All of these bacteria are microorganisms that can’t be seen by simply glancing at your retainers, so even though they don’t appear dirty, they might get you sick. Keep your retainers clean on daily basis.