To keep your newly straightened smile looking good you need to know how important a mouth retainer is. At Specialty Smiles we have seen many patients get great results from orthodontic treatment only to be disappointed when their teeth slowly shift back after not using their retainer properly. The mouth retainer will keep your teeth from moving for a long time so your smile will stay as perfect as it was the day your active treatment ended.
During orthodontic treatment your mouth goes through a lot of changes. The forces that move your teeth into their ideal positions are very precisely controlled. But the structures that support your teeth need more time to fully adjust and become stable. Your teeth will naturally want to move back to their original positions without a mouth retainer applying moderate steady pressure on them. This could undo months or years of orthodontic work.
Different kinds of mouth retainers meet different needs and preferences of patients during the retention phase. Clear retainers look great and keep your teeth in place. These devices fit snugly over your teeth and are almost invisible while you wear them. You can talk to your clear retainers and get the best results. Many patients like clear retainers since they look a lot like the latter steps of your treatment. Setting up the right care routines for your mouth retainer will make it work better and last longer. We recommend washing detachable retainers with soap and water. Don’t use hot water or harsh chemicals. Also keep retainers in their cases when you’re not wearing them to keep them safe from pets and accidental disposal and to prevent them from getting lost.
The time it takes for patients to keep their teeth varies a lot depending on age, complexity of treatment and other biological factors. Younger patients need longer retention periods because their face bones and other supporting tissues keep growing until they are in their twenties. Adults usually need to keep their teeth straight for the rest of their lives since natural aging can cause teeth to move over time even after orthodontic treatment.
People in North Miami often ask when they need to replace their mouth retainers. Most of the time removable retainers need to be replaced every one to three years since they wear out and the materials break down. Regular dental visits let us check the fit and efficacy of your retainer and recommend replacement when needed to make sure you do well during the retention phase.
With better materials and technology, mouth retainer technology is getting better. Using digital impressions and computer-aided design makes retainers that fit better and are more comfortable than older methods. These advancements in technology makes appliances fit better so patients use them more. This means better long term results and happier patients.
Taking care of your mouth retainer doesn’t cost much compared to the whole cost of your orthodontic treatment. For every patient wearing a retainer all the time is a great way to protect thousands of dollars of orthodontic work. Most dental insurance plans pay for part of the cost of a new retainer but the amount of coverage and the policies vary from one provider to another.
We also offer full Invisalign treatment for people in North Miami who want to straighten their teeth without drawing attention to them. Our experienced staff knows that retention care is different for each patient so they work with each one to create a plan that works for them. Call Specialty Smiles today to find out more about how to protect your orthodontic investment by taking care of and maintaining your mouth retainer.