When you have orthodontic treatment, your orthodontist will always instruct you to wear a removable retainer after treatment is complete. This is so that your teeth do not drift back into their original position. There are different approaches to retainers depending on the type of treatment you have undergone and the time patients might need to wear them will vary. There is no predictable treatment course where retainers are concerned – it depends on the patient’s tooth structure and each patient\u2019s teeth will respond to the retainers\u2019s effects differently and over different time periods. Changes can also be episodic in the sense that your teeth may go through a period with minimal change whilst under the influence of the retainer and then your teeth may change very quickly.<\/p>\n
You can prolong the life of your retainer by being careful about what you eat – for example, you should try to avoid hard foods such as granary bread and hard sweets. You should also avoid bad habits such as biting your fingernails.<\/p>\n
Every time your clean your teeth, you should be thoroughly brushing the back of your teeth around the retainers. This will help prevent complications such as tooth decay and gum disease. Special Interdental brushes such as TePe can be used to diligently clean in-between your front teeth. You can also use \u2018Superfluous\u2019 to clean teeth that lie below the wire.<\/p>\n
Cleaning removable retainers requires different attention to fixed retainers. This type of retainer should not be brushed, as this will cause damage to the appliance. You should rinse of soak the retainer in lukewarm water or Retainer Brite solution (ask your orthodontist at Parklane about this). Retainer Brine should be used at least 2-3 times per week – this is so the retainers can be disinfected.<\/p>\n
Removable retainers should be rinsed regularly before and after wearing them in order to remove saliva and debris. Failing to do this will allow food and plaque to dry and settle on the retainers which then requires more vigorous cleaning.<\/p>\n