Your Orthodontic Treatment Is Over...Now What?
Why Do I Need a Retainer?
After investing time and resources to align your teeth, it is critical to maintain your results with retainers. Our teeth are exposed to forces throughout our life. These can lead to significant changes in tooth alignment, health, and stability. Additionally, teens can still experience skeletal growth which may impact treatment retention. Retainers support the bone and ligaments around teeth as they adapt to new positions, helping to minimize tooth shifting. As with other aspects of dentistry (fillings, crowns, etc.) retainers need to be maintained and will require replacement over time. We are happy to evaluate your retainers and assist in fabricating new ones when this becomes necessary.
Our orthodontic retainers are custom fit from a digital scan of your teeth, making them incredibly accurate. We can alter the design of the retainer based on your specific needs. We prefer removable retainers versus fixed wires since they stabilize front AND back teeth rather than just front teeth. These also provide better access for flossing and cleaning to maintain gum and bone health over time.
Optimizing Your Retention Plan:
A comprehensive approach to tooth retention goes beyond physical retainers. Caring for your gums and bone through routine dental care is critical to provide optimal support for your teeth over time. Additionally, addressing unfavorable forces applied to teeth–hyperactive muscles, tongue thrusting, or oral habits–can optimize retention rates. When such forces are apparent, we prescribe myofunctional therapy and/or habit elimination programs as part of our integrated approach to orthodontic treatment and maintenance.
