Retainers, Retention

When we remove your braces, we will begin the retention stage of your treatment. The retention phase lasts for LIFE!!!!! Yes, you read it right - life. We advise all of our patients to wear their retainers every night (12 hours) for the first 2 years and then slowly wean yourselves down to once a week over the next few years. Thereafter, maintain at once a week for the rest of your life.

Everything in our body changes as we grow older, so your teeth will want to move too. The retainer, if worn consistently, will prevent this shifting. Also, in case your wisdom teeth begin to interfere with the teeth, the retainers can hold them straight. Remember, you have gone through a lot to achieve the smile you have now. Let’s not lose it by not wearing the retainers. Of course, please remember to keep the retainer clean.

Our standard retainer looks similar to an Invisalign or clear bleaching tray, though a little thicker. In some cases, we do prescribe the traditional wire retainers that we all know about. In adults, we will usually place a permanently fixed retainer in the lower jaw as added security.

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