ProviderRetainers for Smile Maintenance
Congratulations, your active treatment is finally complete! Now it’s time to enjoy your new smile and protect the beautiful results you’ve worked so hard to achieve.
Now that your braces have come off, or you've taken your final set of aligners out for the last time, it's time for the maintenance phase of your treatment. This means wearing a retainer.
At North Seattle Orthodontics, we offer the best retainer options for your new smile, including in-house overlay retainers, Vivera retainers by Invisalign, and "old school" acrylic Hawley or wrap retainers.
Wearing a retainer as prescribed by your orthodontist is vital for maintaining the results you've achieved with your braces or Invisalign treatment. Our Smile Protection Program makes this part of your treatment easy.
Enroll in Our Smile Protection Program
To help you manage costs while protecting that hard-earned smile, we offer our Smile Protection Program. Upon enrollment, you pay a one-time fee for unlimited replacement retainers over seven years, taking the worry out of replacing your retainers.
Why You Need a Retainer
The two main reasons why retainers are so important after active orthodontic treatment go hand-in-hand: stabilization and prevention.
During the active part of your orthodontic treatment, your aligners or braces move your teeth (including their roots) into their new positions. When the roots move, the surrounding bone needs to reform around them to hold them securely in place once again.
As you can imagine, this process takes time. It can continue for many months after the initial movement of the roots has taken place.
Wearing a retainer stabilizes your teeth and holds them firmly in their new corrected positions as the supporting bone reforms and hardens around the roots. Following your orthodontist's instructions for retainer wear helps prevent the teeth from shifting back to their original positions and undoing the results of your treatment.
Retainer FAQs
Learn some retainer basics by reading through the answers to these frequently asked questions from our patients.
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How long do I have to wear my retainer?
Retainers are a long-term commitment for all orthodontic patients. Retainers ensure that your new, straighter smile stays that way after your treatment with braces or Invisalign is complete.
You'll need to wear your retainer full-time for at least eight weeks after your active orthodontic treatment is complete, and then nightly with your orthodontist's approval.
Even people who have never had orthodontic treatment will experience their teeth shifting over time. Orthodontic patients are even more prone to this and should wear retainers for as long as they want to maintain their straight teeth.
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How often do I have to wear my retainer?
For the first few months of retainer wear after active orthodontic treatment, your orthodontist will instruct you to wear your retainer 24 hours a day, every day. This is because these early months of the retention phase are when your teeth are most likely to relapse (shift back to their pre-treatment positions).
During this time, you'll take your retainer out only to eat, brush and floss your teeth, or play sports (when you'll need to wear a sports mouth guard instead).
Over time, your teeth will settle into their new positions, and your risk of relapse will decrease. When your orthodontist has determined you're ready, you'll be able to start wearing your retainer for fewer hours a day. For many people, this means overnight retainer wear only.
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How often should I replace my retainer?
With proper care and correct use, most retainers can last for years. The following signs indicate that a new retainer might be in order:
Cracks or Chips
When you start noticing chips or cracks in your retainer, it's time to replace it. This type of damage will only worsen over time, compromising the structural integrity of the retainer and making it less effective.
Poor Fit
Retainers are designed to be sturdy and durable, but they may start to loosen over time with wear. It's important to replace your retainer if you notice that the fit is loose, because at that point, it is no longer effectively supporting your teeth.
Excessive Buildup
You should be cleaning your retainer regularly to keep it in good shape. However, even if you're doing this, stubborn buildup can occur over time. If your retainer has buildup that can't be removed with a thorough cleaning, it should be replaced.
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Can I eat or drink while wearing my retainer?
You should always remove your retainer when eating, and also when drinking hot or highly pigmented liquids to prevent it from becoming warped or stained.
You can drink water while your retainer is in, however.
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How do I clean my orthodontic retainer?
Clean your retainer at least once daily with a soft-bristle toothbrush and some mild, unscented liquid soap. This removes food debris, plaque and bacteria. Rinse the retainer with cool or room temperature water to remove the soap when you're done.
We also suggest soaking your retainer using specially made retainer cleaning tablets dissolved in water as needed. This can help loosen any stubborn buildup and leave your retainer feeling fresh.
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How do I store my retainer?
When you're not wearing or cleaning your retainer, it's essential to store it in a safe location to prevent it from getting lost or damaged. We recommend storing your retainer in the case it comes in any time it's not in your mouth.
Always remember to clean and dry your retainer and its carrying case thoroughly first, to prevent bacteria from forming.
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What happens if I forget to put my retainer in?
It's essential to wear your retainer as prescribed by your orthodontist to maintain the results of your orthodontic treatment.
That said, if you occasionally forget to wear your retainer for short periods of time, you probably have nothing to worry about. Just go back to wearing it consistently as soon as you remember.
Keep in mind that if you don't wear your retainer consistently, there's a chance your teeth could shift out of position, and you'll require more corrective orthodontic treatment to realign them. To avoid this, prioritize wearing your retainer as prescribed.