How to Take Care of Your New Retainer

After months of orthodontic treatment, the day finally comes when your orthodontist removes your braces or you say goodbye to that last set of aligner trays. You look in the mirror, and looking back is the new you with beautiful, perfectly aligned teeth. 

While active orthodontic treatment has ended, another journey begins — post-orthodontic treatment. In a word: retainer. But why? You’ve finally gotten the smile you’ve always wanted. Is a retainer really necessary? Yes, says Dr. Jean Seibold McGill at McGill Orthodontics in Easton and Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. 

In this blog, Dr. McGill explains the purpose of wearing a retainer, how to take care of it, and more importantly, how doing both can keep you smiling for years to come.

A retainer preserves your new smile

Right about now, you’re probably thinking about the other “R” word – responsibility. Not again! While wearing and caring for a retainer requires a bit of responsibility, it’s so worth it. The big payoff is that you get to preserve all the hard work you put into your orthodontic treatment and maintain your gorgeous new smile for many years to come.

As its name alludes to, a retainer is designed to hold or “retain” your new teeth alignment. Retainers are custom-fabricated dental appliances made from plastic, metal, or a combination of the two. There are two basic types of retainers: removable retainers or a retainer your orthodontist bonds to the back of your teeth, known as a lingual wire-style retainer. 

Ironically, the same principle that allows orthodontics to work in the first place — the fact that bone tissue is a living thing — is the same reason retainers are needed after active orthodontic treatment has ended.

The way it works is when braces or clear aligners gently move your teeth into optimal alignment, bone cells called osteoclasts break down old bone from the original positions. Other bone cells called osteoblasts build new bone in the optimal positions.

Since your bone cells are alive, it takes a little time for them to settle down and stabilize after your teeth are moved into new positions. Retainers help reinforce the process by minimizing the opportunity for your teeth to drift back into their previous positions.

Follow doctor’s orders

Once you get your custom-made retainer, your orthodontist provides you with instructions for wearing your retainer and how to care for it. Initially, you may need to wear your retainer 24 hours a day for the first month, unless you're eating. Typically, after that, your orthodontist may recommend that you cut back to only overnight wear while sleeping.

If you wore clear aligners during orthodontic treatment, caring for your retainer will be similar to how you maintained your clear aligners. Keeping your retainer in tip-top shape allows it to do its job and makes it more comfortable and less prone to carrying germs and bacteria. 

Always carry a retainer case

When you get your retainer, your orthodontist provides you with a retainer case to temporarily store your retainer when you take it out to eat or drink. Get in the habit of carrying this case with you at all times. Your retainer case has two main functions — it keeps your retainer safe and clean when you remove it to eat or drink, and it reduces the likelihood that you’ll lose it. 

While it may sound like a good idea, placing your retainer on a napkin while you eat makes it easier to sweep away or throw out your retainer accidentally. If remembering to bring your retainer case with you is a problem, you might want to buy a spare, so you’ll have one for home and one for when you’re at work or school. 

Keep it clean

Brush your teeth after every meal before putting your retainer back in. Similarly, keeping your retainer clean and fresh is essential. At a minimum, rinse your retainer with water before putting it back in your mouth. Your orthodontist provides tips and instructions on cleaning your retainer with authorized cleaning solutions. Refrain from using harsh chemicals or hot water.

Bring your retainer to follow-up appointments

When visiting your orthodontist for regular follow-ups, don’t forget to bring your retainer. During these appointments, your orthodontist evaluates how well your teeth are stabilizing in their new positions and may change the recommended wear time for your retainer.

It’s also a great time to check both the condition of your retainer and the fit. An uncomfortable retainer makes it less likely that you’ll wear it as prescribed. Getting refitted for a new retainer is much better than having to go back into orthodontic treatment. 

To learn more about retainers, contact McGill Orthodontics to schedule a visit. Call our office most convenient to you or request your appointment online today.