Retainer Instructions

Congratulations! You did it! We are proud of you!

Now we have to work together to stabilize the results of the treatment period. The tongue, lips, and supporting structures must adapt to the new position of your teeth. You will need to wear retainers to protect your smile. Retainers prevent the teeth from moving back to their original position.

About 90% of the correction can be retained. The teeth will not stay exactly where we have placed them. This readjustment is not a failure of correction, but a natural change that we have leamed to accept.

My 100% guarantee to you is that if you don't wear your retainers your teeth will move! Only you can keep your teeth straight from this point on, if you choose to discontinue wearing your retainers, you must assume responsibility for any tooth movement. If your teeth shift, the only way to re-straighten them would be through retreatment and additional expense.

You will need to wear your retainers full time for one year. Take them out to eat or brush your teeth. For the next year after that, they are worn every night and after that, we will ask that you would wear them every other night for an indefinite period of time.

5 Rules:

Wear your retainers all day, all night for one year, I will tell you when you may reduce wearing time.
Take them out to eat, and always place them in your retainer box. Don't leave them lying around or wrapped in tissue. It could get lost or thrown away.
Keep them clean by brushing them with toothpaste and cold water. Never leave them in hot water or near a hot surface, it could change the material and make them not fit anymore.
Do not chew gum with them in, it sticks to the acrylic
Bring them to every appointment.

Note

Your retainers should fit comfortably and securely. If they don't let us know. They won't be broken or lost if they are worn correctly. Remember they are delicate and expensive to repair or replace. Retainers are like eyeglasses, contact lenses, or any other personal items that are worn daily, they will wear out. There will be a charge to replace worn-out retainers.

A Final Word

I hope you are proud of the way your teeth look, I am. A copy of your final X-rays will be sent to your dentist, please have your dentist clean and examine your teeth as soon as possible. If you have wisdom teeth, please have your dentist monitor and treat them as necessary.