Happy Independence Day!

In honor of the July 4th holiday, we’re going to celebrate freedom, and shine a spotlight on those who now have freedom from braces!

If you’ve ever been to our office, you’re familiar with our bulletin board and the TVs in our waiting room, where some of our favorite before and after photos are displayed. So many great smiles have come from our office! Of course, just because your braces are off doesn’t mean orthodontic care is complete. We recommend long term retainer wear because teeth have a tendency to shift throughout life.

Of course, as a patient, it is up to you to keep your smile in place. In addition to proper dental hygiene, wearing a retainer is essential to maintaining the location of your teeth. Just as it takes a long time to move your teeth into the correct position, it takes a long time for the periodontal ligaments and bone to “remember” where your teeth belong and keep them there.

While teeth will naturally shift throughout your life, they tend to shift the most in the first two years following treatment. That’s why we recommend wearing your retainer full time for at least the first twelve months after treatment, but the longer the better. Full time means day and night, removing it only to eat and brush your teeth. We then recommend the retainer only at night for the next year, and then at least a few nights per week long term. It’s not as bad as it sounds- it doesn’t take long for nighttime wear to become a habit!

Keeping your retainer clean is very important. We recommend brushing the retainer and your teeth before putting the retainer in. You can use your regular toothpaste and toothbrush.

Keeping your retainer safe is also very important. Whenever you take your retainer out of your mouth, you should immediately put it into its case. Many patients need to order new retainers because they wrap the retainer in a napkin and accidentally throw it away. Dogs also love to chew on retainers, another great reason to keep your retainer in its case when it’s not being worn. If you do lose or damage your retainer, call our office right away. We’ll take an impression and order a new retainer for you, which typically arrives in a few weeks.