Retainers – Rochester, NY | Webster, NY
Keep Your Teeth in Their Perfectly Straight Positions
There is no denying the effectiveness of braces. With traditional orthodontics or Invisalign, your teeth can gradually be guided into their perfectly aligned positions. However, keeping them there is ultimately up to you. To prevent orthodontic relapse, our team provides our patients with custom-made retainers in Rochester, which help preserve your dream smile both now and decades from now. To learn more about this orthodontic appliance, read on!
Why Choose Drabik Orthodontics For Retainers?
- Designed to maintain treatment results for a lifetime
- Custom-made appliances for every patient
- Highly-Trained, Friendly Team
The Importance of Retainers
As mentioned above, braces can shift your teeth into their ideal positions over the course of your treatment plan. However, this isn’t a permanent change – keeping them there requires the use of a retainer. Although small, this orthodontic appliance helps your teeth “set” in place and prevents your teeth from shifting. Ideally, you will wear it for 20-22 hours a day for the first six months or so. Over time, you can transition to wearing it less and less until you only wear it as you sleep.
3 Reasons to Wear Retainers
After you get your braces off or remove your last Invisalign trays, this doesn’t mean that you are good to go. It’s important that you continue to wear a retainer to maintain the results you worked so hard to achieve. Here are a few reasons why you should prioritize wearing your retainer going forward.
Prevent Your Teeth from Drifting
Ultimately, your teeth aren’t going to stay in their new spots on their own. They aren’t used to their aligned locations. Your teeth will eventually begin to drift back to their original locations. By wearing your retainer diligently for the first few months after your treatment, you can give your jawbone some time to strengthen around your teeth and hold them in place. After this, you should still wear your retainer at night. The shape of your mouth and jaw changes over time, so by wearing your retainer, you can keep your teeth where they belong.
Save Money Over Time
As you know, orthodontic treatment is quite an investment, and you definitely don’t want to have to do it all over again. If you don’t wear your retainer and your teeth shift back, you may need to get braces again in the future! Retainers come with a price of their own, but they are far more affordable than another round of orthodontic treatment.
Maintain a Healthy Smile
Having an aligned bite and straight teeth can help you to maintain excellent oral health! Bite issues can lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction as well as the wearing of the teeth. Crooked teeth can make it more difficult to thoroughly clean your smile, therefore increasing your risk of oral health issues, like tooth decay and gum disease. By wearing your retainer in Webster, you can keep your teeth in the perfect locations to prevent these issues from occurring.
The Different Types of Retainers
There are a variety of different types of retainers available. Each one has unique benefits. Here are the most common ones.
Removable Hawley Wire Retainer
The Hawley retainer consists of plastic and metal that is custom molded to fit your teeth and mouth. This must be removed when you eat, drink, and clean your smile. A few benefits of Hawley retainers are that they last a long time, can be tightened and repaired, and can be custom designed with a variety of colors.
Removable Clear Plastic Retainer
This is a customized, removable retainer made from thin, clear plastic that fits closely over your teeth. They hold the teeth in the exact position they were moved to, protect the teeth against grinding, and they are practically invisible! Just like the Hawley retainer, they need to be removed before you can eat, drink, and clean your smile.
Fixed Retainer
Fixed retainers, on the other hand, are bonded to the back of your teeth to keep them in place. The pro to this type is that they aren’t removable, making them nearly impossible to lose and ensuring you meet the necessary wear time. The one downside is that they are a bit more difficult to clean. Don’t worry – our Gates orthodontist will review the benefits of each type to help you determine which one is best for you.
Caring for Your Retainer
Wearing your retainer should be a lifelong commitment. As a result, you’ll want yours to last for as long as possible. To keep yours in pristine condition, here are a few best practices to implement:
- Don’t use hot water to rinse your retainer (this can warp their shape)
- Clean your retainer regularly with a soft-bristled toothbrush to remove debris
- Store your retainer in a protective case when you’re not using it
- Soak your retainer in a dentist-recommended cleaner each evening to prevent calcium buildup
- Replace your retainer if it chips or is damaged in any way