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 2 months. This is how we achieve and maintain the best results!
Two months after your treatment is complete, 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 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 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.
Retainer wear is the habit that protects your result, and Premiere Orthodontics puts real support behind it. Patients who complete full treatment with us are covered by our Lifetime Guarantee. If your teeth shift back because the retainer was not worn, Dr. Battle will replace your braces. Your only costs would be a nominal monthly charge for adjustments and the price of a new retainer, not a full second treatment.
Finishing full treatment also comes with free professional teeth whitening for life, so return trips to the office can be about keeping your smile bright as well as checking that it stays straight. The guarantee is a safety net, though, not a substitute for regular wear. We would much rather see you keep the result you worked for.
If a removable retainer cracks or bends, do not force it back into your mouth. A misshapen appliance can hurt your gums or cheeks. Put it in a zip-top bag and bring it with you to your appointment so our team can see what happened. If a retainer goes missing, call us right away so we can schedule the earliest visit and replace it before teeth start to drift. The steps for orthodontic emergencies cover these situations in more detail.
Reach the office at (407) 381-3335, Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. We are at 448 S Alafaya Trl, Ste 10, off SR 408, a short trip for patients in Avalon Park, Alafaya, Union Park and Conway. You can check office location and hours before you head over.
It depends on your bite and how your teeth moved. Dr. Battle recommends the option that best protects your result, and a bonded wire usually sits behind the lower front teeth.
Yes. Teeth straightened with clear aligners can shift back just like teeth moved with braces, so retention follows every type of treatment.
Plan on full-time wear for the first year after treatment so your teeth settle into their new positions. After that, follow the wear schedule Dr. Battle gives you.
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