RETENTION
Keeping Your Smile Straight For A Lifetime
The day your braces come off is an exciting one … but keep in mind, your treatment isn’t over yet! Once we remove your braces, we’ll begin the retention stage of your treatment. Although your teeth have shifted to a new position, they aren’t settled there and without proper retention, they could move back to their original location and erase all of your hard work!
Retention is an important stage that occurs after undergoing any kind of orthodontic treatment and involves wearing an orthodontic appliance known as a retainer. All of our retainers and custom-made to fit your smile and your needs. Dr. Herrington will help you find the type of retainer that works best for you. From there, we’ll discuss how long you need to wear your retainers and when you need to wear them.
How Long Do You Have To Wear A Retainer?
Retention is made up of two phases. During the first phase of retention, Dr. Herrington will have you wear your retainer all of the time except when eating or brushing your teeth. This constant wear will allow your teeth to settle into their new position and for the periodontal ligaments to adjust to their new position. During this phase, the orthodontist will monitor your teeth to determine when it is time to move to the final phase.
The final phase of retention lasts your lifetime. During this phase, you will only have to wear your retainer at night. If you want to retain your beautiful, straight, healthy smile, you will need to wear it. As time goes on, 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 forever.
Why Are Retainers Necessary?
Your new teeth are perfectly aligned. Do you still need to wear a retainer? Yes. Your teeth will start moving back to their original position before treatment almost immediately!
You may not notice your teeth move back at first. That’s because the fibers called ligaments that hold the teeth in position, but they may take a few months to adjust. To keep your beautiful smile in place and to get the most out of your investment, it’s important to wear your retainer as instructed.
Three Types of Retainers
The day your braces get removed we’ll clean your teeth and take X-rays to determine how well your treatment has worked. Then, we’ll fit you for your retainer and start preparing it for you to take home.
There are three basic types of retainers available today; each works best in particular situations.
