If you’re getting orthodontic care, it doesn’t end when the braces are removed. The retention period that follows is crucial for maintaining your beautiful new smile. However, permanent effects require permanent retention. Most of today’s orthodontic patients are adults, in part because they abandoned retainer use after high school.
Your retainer may no longer be as comfortable if you haven’t worn it in a while. Discover the function of your retainer and what to do if it no longer fits well in this informative article.
First of All, What Do Retainers Do?
A person’s ligaments, bones, and soft tissues are all affected by having braces placed on their teeth. The teeth need time to anchor into their new locations once the orthodontist removes your braces, or they will soon revert to their previous placements.
A retainer is a dental item that is worn over the teeth and applies a slight but constant force to keep them from shifting. Removable retainers, such as clear plastic trays that fit over the teeth or wire Hawley retainers that the orthodontist can adjust, are worn by the majority of patients after braces are removed.
Retainers, like braces, might produce sore spots or pressure at first, but that goes away as your mouth gets used to them. Applying ice or taking an over-the-counter pain reliever should calm the sore spot. Wearing your retainer should not give you any unnecessary pain, and you should not stop wearing it because of it. If the discomfort does not go away, it is time to make an appointment with your orthodontist.
How Do I Know When It’s Finally Time to Get a New Retainer?
It is not a proper fit if the retainer either exerts too much or too little force on the teeth. Damage to teeth and gums might result from a retainer that is overly tight. It’s also possible for the retainer to get caught, in which case you’d have a dental emergency and need to see a dentist right away.
In contrast to the potential damage that might result from a too-tight retainer, wearing a retainer that is too loose won’t do any harm to the teeth. You risk having your teeth shift because the retainer isn’t able to apply the necessary force to keep your teeth in place. Your retainer will need to be tightened or changed in certain scenarios.
Checking for cracks in the plastic, it’s time to order a new retainer. If these fissures widen, your retainer won’t be able to hold your teeth in place.
A chipped retainer should be replaced just as quickly as a shattered one. Chips can diminish a retainer’s effectiveness, and injuries to the cheeks or tongue can result from those with sharp edges.
In Terms of Unworn Retainers
It’s fine to wear your appliance even if it’s tight since you haven’t used it in a while as long as you can get it in and out effortlessly. Tightness from the retainer and possible sensitivity to the teeth are common complaints among those with orthodontic appliances. Start wearing the retainer constantly until it’s comfortable again, and then go back to the prescribed wearing schedule.
Do not try to press the retainer on your teeth or ignore the pain in order to avoid an orthodontic appointment. It is best to check with an orthodontist to see if the teeth have relapsed if you are unsure whether or not to continue using an old retainer. In many cases, a new retainer is all that’s needed to fix a minor relapse, but more severe movement may require orthodontic work.
In Terms of Damaged Retainers
Because of wear and tear or damage, your retainer may no longer fit even though you’ve been using it regularly.
Keep in mind that heat can distort the shape of your clear plastic retainer if you keep it there for too long. You shouldn’t put your retainer in hot water to sterilize it, and you should be careful not to turn up the faucet too much when cleaning it.
When you’re not using your detachable retainer, keep it safe and easy to find by placing it in its plastic box. Never put off getting a new retainer because you’re too ashamed to admit you lost the old one; orthodontic offices get many calls regarding missing retainers every year.
Conclusion
If you find that your retainer doesn’t fit anymore, don’t panic! First, contact your orthodontist and schedule an appointment to have your retainer adjusted or replaced. Second, wear your retainer only when instructed to do so by your orthodontist, and make sure to clean it regularly. Lastly, keep your retainer in a safe place so that it does not get lost or misused.
Following these steps will help ensure that your retainer properly stays and that your teeth will remain in their proper position.
If you are looking for a dental institution that offers retainer orthodontics in Herndon, look no further than our expertise here at Solarte Orthodontics. We offer a wide range of dental services that are sure to maintain your pearly whites. Call us today, and let us install your retainers in no time!
