ProviderMaintaining Your New Smile
Congratulations – you're done with your active orthodontic treatment. Your new smile is complete, and it's time to show it off!
Now that your braces have come off or you've removed your final set of aligners, it's time for the maintenance phase of your treatment. This means wearing a fixed or removable retainer to keep your teeth in their new, straightened positions.
Standard retainers are made from an acrylic arch that sits in the roof of the mouth, and an attached metal wire that surrounds the front teeth. The metal wire holds your teeth in place and can even be adjusted to fine-tune the results of your treatment.
Removable aligner-style retainers offer a clear alternative to wire retainers. These clear retainers are custom-made using advanced 3D imaging technology (iTero™) to ensure a precise fit over the entire arch of your teeth, or just from canine to canine.
Fixed retainers consist of wires bonded to the backs of your front teeth. The lower front teeth are particularly prone to shifting throughout adulthood. That's why we often recommend a fixed wire retainer for the lower teeth.
Enroll in Our Smile Protection Program
To help our patients manage costs, we're pleased to offer our Smile Protection Program. When you enroll, 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 You Need a Retainer
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 the active part of your orthodontic treatment, your aligners or braces are continuously working 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.
Wearing a retainer helps stabilize your teeth while this happens, giving the surrounding jawbone the time it needs to reform. 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 frequently asked questions from our patients.
-
How long do I have to wear my retainer?
Orthodontic treatment is a long-term commitment. This includes post-treatment maintenance with a retainer. 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 three months after your active orthodontic treatment is complete and nightly after that.
Teeth shifting can happen to anyone, even those who have never had braces or Invisalign. Orthodontic patients are even more prone to this and should wear retainers for as long as they want straight teeth.
-
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 daily. This is because the teeth are most prone to shifting during this time.
During this time, you'll only remove your retainer to eat, brush, and floss your teeth, or play sports (when you'll need to wear a sports mouth guard instead).
As time passes, your teeth will settle into their new positions. 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.
-
How often should I replace my retainer?
There are some common signs that it may be time to replace your retainer, including:
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 will 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, stubborn buildup can occur over time even if you're doing this. If your retainer has buildup that can't be removed with a thorough cleaning, it should be replaced.
-
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.
It is completely okay for you to drink water while you have your retainers in.
-
How do I clean my orthodontic retainer?
Clean your retainer at least once daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush and mild, unscented liquid soap. This will remove any plaque and bacteria that have built up, along with leftover food particles. 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 cleaning tablets dissolved in water as needed. This can help loosen any stubborn buildup and leave your retainer feeling fresh.
-
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 protective case it comes in any time it's not in your mouth.
Always thoroughly clean and dry your retainer and its carrying case to prevent bacteria from forming.
-
What happens if I forget to put my retainer in?
It's important to wear your retainer as recommended 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. An easy way to prevent this is to wear your retainer as prescribed.