Retainer After Braces Care

Congratulations! You made it through your entire orthodontic treatment and now have a perfectly straight smile that you are proud to show off. To keep your new smile as straight as possible and to protect your investment in yourself, it is vital that you continue to wear your orthodontic retainer. Retainers are custom-made orthodontic appliances often prescribed after orthodontic treatment to keep your teeth in place after correcting and reshaping is complete. While retainers can be bothersome, it’s a small price to pay compared to the cost of braces all over again.

To help you make the most of your new smile, Gibbs Orthodontic Associates in New York, NY is here to explain to you the basics of retainer after braces care wearing your retainer, including daily wear times, and how to keep your retainer clean.

When Should You Wear Your Retainer?

Retainers should be worn at all times, including sleeping, unless you have been specifically instructed otherwise. If you are not wearing your retainer for a period of time it should be placed in the case for safekeeping. If you are eating and do not have the case with you, you should eat with your retainer in your mouth. Avoid wrapping your retainer in napkins as they are easily forgotten and accidentally end up in the trash.

When Should You NOT Wear Your Retainer?

Do not wear your retainer when playing contact sports and swimming. You can damage the retainer as well as the inside of your mouth.

What Can I Expect From My New Retainer?

You will experience a little difficulty in speaking for a few days. Our recommendation is to practice speaking with the retainer in your mouth. Your speech will return to normal.

How Do I Clean My Retainer?

After each meal, take out your retainer and wash it as best as you can. Use your toothbrush and toothpaste to brush all surfaces of the appliance, then rinse with cool water. Never rinse your retainer in hot water.

If your retainer picks up flavors or odors from foods you may soak it in mouthwash or use cleaning tablets such as Retainer Brite. Retainer cleaners such as these should be used NO MORE THAN once a week.

How to Clean Your Retainer With Retainer Brite: 

1. Drop one tablet into warm water
2. Place appliance in blue solution
3. Leave appliance in solution for 3-5 minutes only
4. Rinse appliance thoroughly

How Do I Store My Retainer?

You should take precautions to properly store your new retainer and avoid damaging or losing it. It’s an expensive piece of equipment and is vital to keep your smile straight. When you aren’t wearing your retainer you should store it in the case provided to you by your NYC Orthodontist, Dr. Gibbs. Retainers can break easily. For this reason, you should never shove them in your pockets or backpack or drop them in your purse. Also, avoid wrapping your retainer in napkins while eating. A retainer often ends up in the trash when you wrap them in napkins. If you place your retainer n your pocket, you are likely to forget about it. Nothing destroys a retainer faster than a trip through the washer and dryer! An unprotected retainer can easily be damaged and you will face replacement and repair fees. So do yourself and your bank account a favor and always use the approved storage case provided to you.

Most common reasons for lost or broken retainers/appliances:

1. Wrapped in a napkin and accidentally thrown away.
2. Dog ate it (really)!!
3. The retainer in the pocket can crack in half or fall out and be lost.
4. The retainer went through the wash cycle and melted from the heat of the washer/dryer.

Caring For Your Bonded Lingual Retainer

If we have placed a glued wire behind your lower front teeth this will be your permanent retainer. We place this type of retainer to reduce the possibility of relapse. If you decide to have this retainer removed, we will recommend that a removable retainer be made in order to maintain the position of the teeth.

Foods To Avoid While Wearing a Retainer

Hard, sticky and very chewy foods should be avoided. It is acceptable to eat them if you can cut them into small pieces.

DO NOT BITE INTO APPLES, CARROTS, CELERY, NUTS, PIZZA CRUST and other hard foods.  Although the wire is glued in, it can still break. If the wire and/or glue breaks your teeth could shift. Please be very careful and be vigilant about what you eat.

We have shown you how to floss with the floss threader and special floss. Please follow our instructions carefully to avoid any periodontal (gum) disease or caries. If we (or your general dentist) find that you are unable to maintain good oral hygiene with the bonded retainer we may remove it and give you a removable retainer

If the wire and /or glue are broken or loose please call the office as soon as possible. We will try to get a sense of what is broken on the phone since the time needed to repair it can vary greatly. Please be advised that repairs and remakes of the permanent retainer will incur a charge.

You have worked very hard for your beautiful smile, please be careful with your retainers!!!

If you have any questions concerning retainer wear or other orthodontics needs, please contact our orthodontic office in NYC.