Retention Phase of Treatment
Congratulations!!!
Your active treatment is complete and you are now in a period of "retention." Retainers are designed to maintain the treatment outcome. Compliance with your retainers is very important to insure long-term stability. Poor retainer wear will result in undesired tooth movement that may require re-treatment.
Care & Use of Your Retainers
The retainer you are wearing is delicate and must be handled with care when it is out of your mouth. Some patients have removable upper and lower retainers. Other patients have removable upper and cemented lower retainers.
- Retainers must be worn initially at all times except when eating, brushing your teeth, or during physical activities. If you have a bonded lower retainer, be careful not to eat hard or damaging foods.
- Within 3-12 months, this routine may be altered and the retainers may then may be left our during the day, but must be worn each night until otherwise instructed. After two years, most patients are advised to wear their retainers three or four nights per week indefinitely in order to maintain tooth position.
- When not worn, the removable retainer must be kept in a retainer case to protect it from breakage. When eating, place the retainer in the case until the meal is complete. Never wrap your appliance in a paper napkin or tissue and set it down on the table. You or someone else may throw it away. Also, never place your retainer in your pocket as it will eventually crack or crumble there or warp once the dirty laundry reaches the washing machine!
- The retainer may simply be rinsed with water after breakfast, lunch, and in between snacks, but should be cleansed with both cold water and toothpaste after dinner or before bedtime. Do not use warm or hot water to cleanse your retainer. As this will distort the acrylic. Clean the appliance by holding it in the palm of your hand, deep in the basin of the sink, and gently scrub with a toothbrush. Rinse the retainer and place it back in your mouth.
- If a retainer wire is accidentally bent, you may need to contact the office for an adjustment appointment. If a removable or cemented retainer gets lost or broken, call us for an appointment.
- Your speech and swallowing will improve in a few days following an initial adjustment period.
- All acrylic retainers must be kept out of direct sunlight. Heat from the sun will distort the retainer.
- Please continue using fluoride rinse (Act, Flourigard, Prevident) or gels (Gel-Kam) for three months after the braces are removed.
- Remember ... if retainers are not worn, your teeth will move resulting in some degree of relapse.
- Finally ... take care of your retainers. It took time and effort to straighten your teeth ... let's keep them that way!
Retainer Fees
An additional fee will be assessed to replace any retainer that is broken, lost, or those that no longer fit due to patient negligence. We require that fees be submitted prior to receiving the new retainers.
Retainer adjustments are a part of the treatment fee for two years after the removal of the braces. A per visit fee will be charged for appointments after the two-year period.