The day you have been dreaming about has finally arrived: It’s the day you get your braces off after months and months of treatment.
The removal process is an exciting day: the braces are removed, the teeth are all polished and they feel like velvet, you finally get to see them for the first time and it’s so exciting! But then this happens: your Dentist just told that you need retainers after the orthodontic treatment to keep your beautiful, aligned and straight teeth perfect.
HOW WE KEEP YOUR TEETH STRAIGHT AFTER ORTHODONTICS
Wondering how to keep your teeth straight after orthodontic treatment?
Retention, retention, retention… that’s our key word.
After your orthodontic treatment it takes time for the bone and connective tissues around your teeth to reorganise and rebuild around your teeth in the new position. Therefore it is critical to use an
orthodontic retainer until your bite and teeth stabilise. In the first month after the braces are removed, the risk of movement is very high. The teeth can take up to one or more years to stabilise after orthodontic treatment. In some cases if patients had gaps between their teeth before the orthodontic treatment then the retention period will be longer.
Usually, retainers are worn for as long as you had your braces on. The commitment to wear the retainers is extremely important ensuring you can enjoy all your hard work and have your beautiful smile for life.
DO I HAVE TO WEAR THEM ALL THE TIME?
We will discuss a retention treatment plan that is best tailored for your individual needs and requirements. In Some cases retainers will need to be worn full-time for the first 6 months; after that, the retainers are worn only at night-time during your sleep, which means your free to show off your new beautiful smile during the day. Fixed retainers are normally kept in place for 5 years.
The most important aspect of the retainer is that they only work if you actually wear them.
WHAT DO THE RETAINERS LOOK LIKE?
Each of the orthodontic retainers are individually designed and made in our Melbourne based laboratory to prevent your teeth from moving back to their original positions. Retainers come in many forms such as a removable appliance or a fixed wire that is cemented at the back of your teeth. Other types include the Hawley, which is the most common retainer. The Hawley retainer is made of a metal guide wire and acrylic that is fitted to your mouth. Both the Hawley and clear retainer trays are removable.
 Clear Retainer |
 Hawley Retainer |
 Fixed Retainer |
WHATS NEXT YOU ASK?
Now that you know how to get your teeth straight and how to keep your teeth straight, what’s next? If you want to get the most from your Orthodontic Investment and enjoy your new smile that you have worked hard to achieve then we have a few recommendations to ensure you can enjoy this for the rest of your life:
- Discuss the retention treatment plan with your dentist
- Wear your retainers as instructed by your Dentist for as long as it has been recommend for.
- If you have been advised to wear a night guard to prevent grinding, wear it.
- If you lose or break your retainer or appliance, it MUST be replaced ASAP.
- Take great care of your oral hygiene at home.
- Brush at least 2 times a day, and floss once. Lots of our orthodontic patients keep their amazing oral hygiene routines after braces treatment because of the habits they created themselves by brushing after every meal.
- Continue to get your regular dental examinations and cleans every 6 months. At your appointment please bring your retainers with you as they may need to be replaced every so often. If your dentist recommends replacing, do it. If it stops fitting correctly, bring it in to have it looked at.
- Take great care of your fixed or removable retainers. Keep them clean and safely stored in a hard case which you will receive at the initial insert appointment. If you lose the hard case we can give you another one.
- PETS LOVE TO CHEW ON RETAINERS! Keep it in a consistent place so you won’t lose it.
