After all of the hard work you dedicate to your braces or clear aligner treatment, you deserve to feel confident in your smile for years to come.
Wearing your retainer is the final (and most important) phase of your treatment with clear aligners or braces in Waterford Lakes and Winter Springs. It’s up to you to maintain your results through proper retainer wear and care!
Once active orthodontic treatment is complete, your teeth are susceptible to ‘orthodontic relapse’, or reverting back to their original pre-treatment positions. Your teeth require a period of retention to ensure that they stabilize in the proper alignment.
At the beginning of your retention phase, you’ll be instructed to wear your retainer full-time for one year. This is how we achieve and maintain the best results!
After about a year, you will be able to reduce your wear to nights only. Because teeth have a tendency to shift throughout life, it’s important that you wear your retainer at night, indefinitely.
There are two types of retainers, removable retainers and fixed retainers.
Removable retainers are similar to Invisalign clear aligners. They can be taken out as needed to eat, brush your teeth, and clean your retainer.
The main types of removable retainers are Hawley retainers and Essix retainers.
The Hawley retainer has metal wires with an acrylic center that sits in the roof of the mouth. An Essix retainer is similar to Invisalign; it’s a clear retainer made of plastic, custom-made to cover the front and back surfaces of the teeth.
Fixed retainers, or permanent retainers, are bonded to your teeth and cannot be removed without your orthodontist.
These retainers include a small metal wire, custom-designed to fit behind the teeth. They’re generally bonded to the back surface of the bottom teeth, but can also be used behind the top teeth depending on your condition.
Typically, this wire stays in place forever to hold your bottom teeth in their beautiful alignment. The only exception is if your family dentist determines that your oral hygiene is suffering, which could lead to bone or gum problems. Keeping your teeth clean with a permanent retainer is essential!
You will receive one custom retainer as a part of your treatment plan. If you happen to lose or break your retainer, there will be a replacement fee.
If you lose or damage your retainer, please let us know as soon as possible. We want you to have a new retainer as soon as possible to prevent your teeth from drifting out of place.
We’re here to answer your questions, and we want you to know your options! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time.
Ready to get started? Request your complimentary consultation at our convenient Winter Springs or Waterford Lakes orthodontist office in Orlando today!
448 S Alafaya Trl, Ste 10
Orlando, FL 32828
5733 Canton Cv
Winter Springs, FL 32708
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