The final phase: Retention!
“Will I need to wear a retainer?”
Many patients ask this as we begin to wrap up their treatment, and the answer is a resounding YES!
In fact, you may not remember but we always discuss this final phase – the retention phase – with you at the very first stage: your consultation.
The teeth and jaw structures are a dynamic part of the body, meaning they are constantly changing. Once your treatment finishes and the braces come off, your teeth will start trying to creep back to where they started. In come your retainers!
Retainers are a pretty self-explanatory: these removable appliances follow the exact contour of your teeth and help to retain the position of your teeth as they are when you finish treatment. The teeth need a chance to ‘set’ into their new position and initially you will be wearing your retainers full time. After a few months and with your doctor’s approval you can start to wear them just at night, and after a few years you may be able to move to wearing them just a few nights a week, but remember: retainer wear is for life and tooth movement can happen at any age, so continued wear is essential to keep your smile picture-perfect.
Your first set of removable retainers is always included in the treatment cost, as are the 24 months of additional retainer checks once your treatment is complete, to allow us to make sure everything is staying in place.
Many adult patients, who have had treatment before as teens, often comment that they were never encouraged to wear retainers, never given retainers, or just never explained the importance of retainers, which has led to orthodontic relapse. We want you to have your perfect smile for life, so think of your retainers as an insurance policy. We tell our patients: “Wear your retainers for as long as you want to keep your teeth straight!”
And if you’d like additional insurance to make sure your smile stays perfect; you may also consider having a fixed retainer placed at the end of treatment. These wires are glued to the back of your teeth, to discreetly hold together your front six teeth, as for many patients these are the most likely to move after treatment. The zig-zag shape allows you to continue to brush and floss properly, and many patients have these retainers for years if they take care of them properly. Our friendly orthodontists are happy to help explain the pros and cons of this retainer so that you can choose if it suits your lifestyle and eating habits. You will also need to have a removable retainer to wear at night for the rest of your teeth though!
Stay safe and keep well,
The Edgecliff Orthodontics team