Retainers

Maintaining Your New Straight Smile

Retainers

Congratulations on your new smile! 

When you finally get your braces off or remove your Invisalign aligners for the last time, it’s tempting to think your smile is permanently locked into place. Well, though your teeth are straight and your smile is beautiful, you’ve truly only completed the first step in a lifelong smile journey. Next comes the second and hopefully final stage: your retention plan!

How Do Retainers Work?

Retainers function exactly the way their name would imply: they retain your results and help you maintain your beautiful, straight smile for years to come. When you complete orthodontic treatment, your teeth are still in a malleable state, ready to shift back into their misaligned positions at a moment’s notice if you’re not careful. With retainers, you train your smile to sit tight and stay where you’ve just worked so hard to put them.

Different Types Of Retainers

There are three primary retainer styles, and your personalized retention plan may include more than one at different times. Sometimes one style will be ideal, and other times you’ll have a say in which kind you prefer. 

Fixed Retainers

As their name would suggest, fixed retainers are bonded to the back of your teeth, holding them in place out of sight. Your Wichita orthodontist at Smiles Orthodontics will advise you on whether this style of retainer is right for you, and if so, how many teeth will need to be bonded. As a semi-permanent option, fixed retainers are especially useful in the first few months after the end of your orthodontic treatment, specifically for younger patients. 

The primary benefit of this retainer style is its semi-permanent nature and invisible appearance. However, one downside of having your retainer affixed to your teeth is that, just like with metal braces, they require extra care and attention to keep them clean and clear of plaque. However, even fixed retainers can be removed by an orthodontist, so if the upkeep ever becomes a problem, you can always switch to a new type of retainer. 

Hawley Retainers

When you think of retainers, chances are you think of the Hawley type. These are the most popular form of retention, composed of metal and medical-grade plastic and designed to put light pressure on your teeth to hold them in place. 

Unlike fixed retainers, the Hawley style is completely removable, meaning you can take them off to eat, drink and brush your teeth. However, this also means you’ll need to be diligent about sticking to your retention plan and wearing them whenever possible! Your orthodontist will advise you on the minimum amount of time you should be wearing them each day. 

Clear Retainers

While fixed and Hawley retainers are primarily made of metal, clear retainers are composed of clear, medical-grade plastic, similar in shape and appearance to Invisalign® aligners. However, unlike Invisalign®, retention devices are not designed to change the alignment of your teeth but rather to hold them in their existing positions.

The benefits of clear retention are that they are more discreet than the Hawley style without being bonded to the teeth as with fixed. However, clear retainers can take some getting used to, as they completely cover the teeth and can make speaking, singing or playing instruments a little difficult.

Do I Really Need To Wear My Retainer?

Most orthodontists recommend patients wear their retainers full time for at least the first year after they complete their orthodontic treatment. That means you’ll be wearing your retainers at all times, except for eating or brushing your teeth. Right after you complete your orthodontic treatment, your teeth and bones are still poised to move and shift, having been shifted around during treatment. Without a proper retention plan, the teeth can easily move back into their misaligned placement. 

After about a year, the teeth and bones should be a little more settled into their new positions, and your orthodontist may give you the green light to stop wearing your retainers full-time and switch to wearing them only at night. This threshold comes at different times for each patient, so you may need to continue wearing them longer than one year. Remember that our team wants the best for you and your smile. If we advise you to continue wearing your retainers full-time, it’s because we want to help you continue enjoying your smile for years to come! 

Even years after you’ve completed your orthodontic treatment, it’s important to wear your retainers for at least 6 hours every night. Even if you don’t realize it, your body is constantly growing and changing, and the same goes for your teeth! Wearing them is easy, and doing so will help you keep your smile straight, bright and healthy. 

Have questions? Give us a call or schedule an appointment with us today! 

Are You Ready To Have Your Dream Smile?

We’re Here To Help.

Smiles Orthodontics