Congrats! Your child’s teeth are looking great and your visits to the orthodontic office are beginning to slow down. But is it really over? Retainer Reality begins to set in.
Avoid these top 3 retainer problems to maintain that beautiful smile and avoid unnecessary expenses:
(1) Not wearing the retainer. Once the braces are off and the retainer has been fitted, it should be worn as recommended so that the teeth do not have the opportunity to shift or “undo” that smile your child worked so hard to achieve. Wearing a retainer seems like an inconvenience but it won’t be as much as one as paying for another set of braces.
(2) Not cleaning the retainer. Allowing saliva and bacteria to stay on the retainer can cause decay or bad breath. The retainer should be brushed daily and allowed to dry completely before closing the container it is stored in. It is also a good idea to soak the retainer in denture/retainer cleaner at least once a week. Not doing this will result in having some serious retainer problems.
(3) Not storing the retainer in a closed container. A common habit may be to wrap the retainer in a napkin while eating…once you’ve had to sort through the trash, we’re sure this won’t happen again.
Alternately, leaving retainers on the counter or bedside table is another common tendency and can lead to the retainers being contaminated with germs or bacteria or the family pet finding them and using them as a chew toy. Maintaining that beautiful smile is a lifetime commitment. Since our goal is creating smiles that last a lifetime, we feel the retention phase of orthodontics is crucial. All three of the dental retainer problems can result in having to replace the retainers or correct shifting, which is costly in both time and money to correct. Consistent wearing and proper maintenance of your retainer will keep your smile as beautiful as the day your braces were removed.
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