Once the braces are off, most patients will need to wear a retainer in order to keep their smile straight and healthy. For this reason, it is critical to ensure that you are taking excellent care of your retainer.
Here are some helpful tips when it comes to caring for your retainer:
- Wear your retainer as instructed. In order to keep your teeth from shifting, it is important to wear your retainer all the time, only removing while eating or when your orthodontist instructs you to remove it, such as when playing sports or swimming.
- Keep your retainer in a safe place. All removable retainers will come with a storage box. Be sure to put it in your box when you remove it, storing your box in a safe place as well.
- Keep your retainer clean. As with your mouth, retainers also contain bacteria and germs. Cleaning your retainer regularly with warm water, toothpaste, and a toothbrush, you can prevent the build-up of plaque, the development of bacteria, and prevent odors.
- Be careful with your retainer. Since retainers are only made of thin plastic and wires, they are fragile and can be broken easily. If you break your retainer, please be sure to contact your orthodontist as soon as possible.
- Do not make adjustments on your own. It is important to leave any adjustments that need to be made to your retainer to your orthodontist. If you feel that there is something wrong with your retainer or it is uncomfortable, then contact your orthodontist in order to have your retainer checked out.
- Keep your retainer away from heat. Heat sources, such as coffee, hot water, dashboards, dishwashers, and your pocket can all be damaging to your retainer. Be sure to keep it away from any place that radiates too much heat.
Beauty Smile Orthodontics is dedicated to helping you achieve a brighter smile for a brighter future. Contact us for more information, or to schedule your consultation today.