Wearing a retainer is actually the most important part of your orthodontic treatment. If you don’t wear it as instructed, your teeth will possibly drift; making all of your previous orthodontic treatment pointless. If your teeth drift enough, you may need further orthodontic treatment in the future. “Retain” all that hard work by wearing your retainer.
Retainers/trays will break under constant stress, so we advise our patients to take them out before eating to prevent wearing them down or breaking them.
Retainers can last a long time if they’re taken care of. Remember to clean them every day. Scrub them with your toothbrush, but not toothpaste (the coarse nature of toothpaste will scratch and wear your retainers), and for a more effective clean use mild dish soap. Most retainers come in a carrying case to help you keep track of them. To help them not be misplaced or thrown out, pick a designated place for them to stay while they’re out of your mouth. Also, don’t place them on lunch trays or anything that could look like trash.
Call Hillam Orthodontics as soon as you can so we can create/order a replacement. If you’ve worn your retainer for over a year with treatment, your teeth won’t drift significantly for a night or two away from your retainer. If you’re new to retainers, you’ll want to get it replaced as soon as possible. Give us a call and we’ll help you out.
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