Retainers protect your braces investment
When you think about orthodontic appliances, braces or clear aligners may come to mind. While those appliances align your teeth and boost your confidence, the unsung heroes that help you maintain your beautiful results are retainers. Especially after investing in your dental and oral health by wearing braces, wearing a retainer is a nonnegotiable next step to prevent issues like teeth moving or the bite regressing after treatment.
How braces transform your teeth
Straightening your smile begins with expert orthodontic care. At Hutta Orthodontic Specialists, our board-certified doctors use state-of-the-art braces or aligners that will make your orthodontic journey as streamlined as possible.
Whether a patient chooses a clear or metal bracket, our advanced Damon braces use self-ligating technology to make the movement of your teeth efficient and comfortable. From closing gaps between teeth and reducing crowding to widening the bite and supporting an open airway, we help patients invest in treatments and technologies that go beyond aesthetics.
Why your smile journey doesn’t end after braces
After treatment with braces, teeth can shift for a number of reasons, including but not limited to injuries, natural aging changes, shifts from erupting wisdom teeth, or inflammation, disease, and tooth loss from poor dental hygiene. Even after finishing treatment with braces, your teeth could still naturally shift. That is because during treatment, gradual bone remodeling occurs, which requires time to stabilize. If you forget to wear your retainer, teeth have a memory and may shift back, leading to orthodontic problems that will need further care. We call these post-braces changes “relapse,” and they can be disheartening, especially after having worn braces for months.
Fortunately, teeth shifting after orthodontic treatment is preventable with proper retainer wear. Retainers are essential for protecting your results and keeping your smile beautifully aligned, which is why our experts create a personalized retention plan for every patient
How retainers work to protect your smile
Retainers safeguard your smile from relapse. After your braces are removed by our specialists, the next step is to wear retainers. At this point, there are a few different options when it comes to continuing to care for your teeth:
- Bonded retainer: A bonded (fixed) retainer is a thin wire that is permanently attached to the inside surface of your teeth to help maintain alignment. At our practice, bonded retainers are most commonly placed on the lower front teeth, Bonded retainers are designed to work together with removable retainers, they do not replace them. Because bonded retainers remain in place, they can provide continuous support for teeth that are at higher risk of shifting. Good oral hygiene and regular dental visits are important to keep the retainer and surrounding teeth healthy.
- Removable retainer: Clear removable retainers are custom-made to fit your teeth and help maintain your orthodontic result. They can be removed for eating, drinking (except water), brushing, and flossing, making them convenient and easy to clean. Our standard retention protocol is a bonded lower retainer combined with a clear removable upper retainer, although some patients may also be prescribed a removable lower retainer for additional support. After an initial period of full-time wear, most patients transition to nighttime wear as directed by their orthodontist. Consistent retainer wear is essential to maintaining your new smile.
Your orthodontic specialist will determine the retention plan that is best for your smile, bite, and long-term stability. While our most common protocol is a bonded lower retainer with a clear upper retainer, every patient is different, and your doctor may recommend a different combination of fixed and removable retainers based on your individual treatment needs.
Health benefits when you wear retainers
When patients wear their retainers, they are helping maintain the many dental health benefits that come with an aligned smile. Properly aligned teeth and a balanced bite can support:
- Keeping your teeth and mouth healthy: An aligned bite and jaw may protect your teeth from grinding and clenching, reducing the risk of future dental problems, like chips or cracks.
- Periodontal and dental health: When your teeth are in alignment, brushing, flossing, and general oral hygiene become much easier. Smiles that have been treated with braces and maintained with retainers are easier to clean and can be less likely to develop cavities or gum disease over time, protecting your mouth and teeth simultaneously.
- Ensuring healthy function: Without crowding, bite problems, or other alignment issues, patients can enjoy healthy, comfortable function. From efficient biting and chewing to maintaining proper tooth positioning, wearing a retainer helps preserve the functional benefits of orthodontic treatment and ensures your smile feels as good as it looks.
Need to replace your removable retainer? Join our Retainer Guarantee!
After braces, retainers are crucial, but they can be easily misplaced, damaged, forgotten, or worn out with daily wear. Fortunately, Hutta Orthodontic Specialists has you covered!
We recommend our Retainer Guarantee Program for all patients. With Retainer Guarantee, we’ll help you protect the investment you’ve made in your teeth by providing as many retainer replacements as you need for up to 10 years, with an enrollment fee and a small copay per replacement. Whether you lose your retainer, throw it away, or break it, we make it easy and accessible to maintain your healthiest smile, bite, and teeth after braces.
Retainers hold your best smile in place
Every smile is unique, and every smile deserves the best care and attention to make it as healthy as possible! Regular retainer wear is one of the most important things you can do to maintain the results you worked hard to achieve through braces.
If your teeth shift, you may notice discomfort, a tighter fit when wearing a retainer, visible gapping or crowding, or the return of issues from before treatment. If you notice any signs, schedule a consultation with our team. Ready to begin your orthodontic journey or concerned about shifting after braces or clear aligners? Contact our Hutta Orthodontic Specialists office. We look forward to helping you enjoy boosted confidence, improved dental health, and a smile you love.