ProviderRetainer Styles for Lasting Straight Smiles
Congratulations – at last, you're done with your active orthodontic treatment. Now the essential maintenance phase begins, which means wearing a retainer.
There are a variety of retainer styles available at Nalchajian Orthodontics:
- Clear aligner-style retainers that fit over your teeth to hold them firmly in place.
- Fixed retainer wires bonded to the backs of front teeth to help maintain their position.
- Standard removable retainers with an acrylic arch and a metal wire around the teeth.
Retainers are the essential final step in your orthodontic journey, and our Smile Protection Program makes this phase easy.
Enroll in Our Smile Protection Program
To help our patients manage costs, we're pleased to offer our Smile Protection Program. When you enrol, you pay a one-time fee to get unlimited replacement retainers over 7 years. It's easy, and it takes the worry out of replacing your retainers.
Why Retainers Are Essential
There are two main reasons you need a retainer after your active orthodontic treatment is complete, and they go hand-in-hand: stabilization and prevention.
During active orthodontic treatment, your aligners or braces continuously work to 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 probably imagine, this process takes time. It can continue for many months after the initial movement of the roots has taken place. In the meantime, your teeth are somewhat looser than normal and could gradually return to their old positions.
Wearing a retainer holds your teeth securely in their new positions while the bone around each tooth's roots reforms and hardens. This prevents the teeth from shifting back to their original positions and undoing all of your months or years of orthodontic treatment.
Retainer FAQs
Learn some retainer basics by reading these answers to frequently asked questions from our patients.
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How long do I have to wear my retainer?
Retainers are a long 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 have to wear your retainer full-time for at least 12 weeks after your active orthodontic treatment is complete, and nightly after that, 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 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 get worse over time, and it will also compromise the structural integrity of the retainer, 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 take your retainer out when eating, and you should also take it out if you're drinking hot liquids, or highly pigmented ones, to prevent the retainer from getting warped or stained, respectively.
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-bristled tooth brush 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 important to store it somewhere safe so it doesn't get 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 important to wear your retainer as prescribed by your orthodontist to ensure that your orthodontic treatment results are maintained.
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.