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Wearing Retainers After Braces: What to Know

Retainers are custom devices designed to hold your teeth in place. They’re often prescribed after orthodontic treatment, such as braces, to keep your bite in place after it’s been reshaped or corrected.

Wearing a retainer can be irritating, but it’s a mild inconvenience compared to having to go through having braces all over again.

This article will cover the basics of wearing your retainer, including how long you have to wear it every day, and how to keep it clean.

Types of retainers

There are three types of retainers that orthodontists prescribe after you’ve had your braces removed. Both types are prescribed to keep your teeth from moving and to settle them permanently in their new place.

Bonded retainer

The first type is called a bonded retainer. It’s attached to your teeth after your braces are removed to keep them in place for the first few months after treatment.

A bonded retainer is recommended if you need to wear your retainer at all times as a follow-up to orthodontic treatment.

Hawley retainer

The second type of retainer is the removable kind. Hawley retainers, also called wire retainers, can be taken out for cleaning and for eating meals.

Having a removable retainer doesn’t mean it’s any less important for you to wear your retainer and follow your orthodontist’s instructions.

Clear plastic retainer

The third type of retainer is another removable kind. Also called a molded retainer, it’s designed to mold to and fit the new position of your teeth perfectly.

Clear plastic retainers have become popular in recent years because they’re virtually invisible and more likely to be worn. This retainer isn’t the same thing as Invisalign, which is used to straighten teeth, not prevent them from moving out of position.

As for wear and use, be sure to follow your orthodontist’s instructions.

How many hours per day do you need to wear a retainer?

If you have a bonded retainer, you’ll be wearing it all day and all night. But if you have a removable retainer, the rules are a little bit different. You may receive different instructions depending on your specific treatment needs.

The typical guideline for a removable retainer is to wear it full time, except for mealtimes and cleanings, for the first 4 to 6 months after your braces are removed, according to the Canadian Association of Orthodontists.

How long do you need to wear a retainer after getting your braces removed?

According to the 2010 survey mentioned above, over 58 percent of orthodontists prefer to prescribe removable retainers after treatment with braces is complete.

Most of the respondents recommend wearing these retainers every day for 9 months and then dropping down to nightly wear after that.

You never stop needing to wear a retainer, though you may need to replace your retainer after a couple of years.

What happens if I don’t wear my retainer?

Throughout your life, your teeth move. If you’ve had braces already, you’re familiar with the fact that the location of your teeth in your mouth is subject to change according to factors such as your age and wearing orthodontic appliances.

Just because your orthodontic treatment is finished doesn’t mean that your teeth are going to stay in place.

If you don’t wear your retainer according to your orthodontist’s instructions, your teeth will tend to shift back into their old placement. This is known as relapsingTrusted Source. If you don’t wear your retainer, you may need orthodontic intervention again within 10 years, or even sooner.

If you try to skip wearing your retainer for a couple of weeks or months, your teeth may shift, and your retainer may not fit your teeth properly anymore.

Wearing a retainer according to your orthodontist’s instructions is essential to maintaining the results of your braces.

Your instructions will vary according to your specific needs. Some people need to wear a retainer all day, every day for 4 months, while others will be instructed to wear theirs for 12 months.

Almost all orthodontists instruct that you use some form of retainer each night, indefinitely, after your braces have been removed.

While a lifelong commitment to your retainer may be intimidating, it’s important to preserve the investment of orthodontic treatment.

(05/27/2021)
by Health Line

More Information: https://www.healthline.com/health/retainers-after-braces#takeaway

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