As October starts to draw to a close and Halloween creeps closer, your ARCH orthodontist in Greater Boston wants to talk retainers. They can be such a delight but also a fright for you and your smile! When life gets hectic, sometimes things happen, and retainers go missing or get damaged. Let’s talk about common retainer problems and how you can avoid losing yours so that you can keep your smile straight, healthy, and happy.
The Retainer No-Brainer
The team at ARCH Orthodontics in Greater Boston will tell you that it’s essential that you wear your retainer post-braces. We know you probably get tired of us telling you. Maybe your parents keep nagging you about it. Or perhaps you’re a parent who feels like you’re continually repeating retainer warnings to your child or teen. Well, it’s because retainers are just that important and imperative to keeping your teeth in great shape after your braces from ARCH Orthodontics finally come off. By following the care instructions we give you, you can be sure that your teeth won’t revert back to their old, crooked ways.
That “Oh No, Where Did My Retainer Go” Feeling
If you’re a child, teen, or parent one of the worst feelings is the dread in your stomach that occurs when a retainer goes missing. Like a ghost, sometimes they’re there one second and gone the next. Sometimes these all-too-common occurrences cause us to say, “RIP retainer.”
- It Gets Eaten – Not by you, but by your pets. For some reason, big and little dogs alike have a fondness for chewing up retainers. Some dentists and orthodontists tend to think it’s because they’re just attracted to the smell of the retainer’s parts and pieces, or someone’s saliva. All it takes is one big chomp to render a retainer useless.
- It Gets Lost – Retainers and napkins or paper towels don’t mix. So many people take their retainer out to eat, set it on a napkin, and then throw that napkin (and the costly retainer) in the trash. Have you ever had to pick through garbage to find a retainer? It stinks.
- It Gets Smooshed – Sometime retainers that are placed “safely” in pockets have a tendency to fall out, get stepped on, sat on, or run over. They can fall out of your pocket when you least expect it!
How to Keep Your Retainer Safe and Sound
If your ARCH Orthodontist told you there are not one but two places your retainer will be safe from harm and destruction, what would your guess be? If you said (1) in your mouth and (2) in your retainer case, then you get the special prize for today. These really are the only two places where you know they’re going to be free from possible accidents or your pet’s curiosity.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that you follow your ARCH Orthodontist’s post-braces, retainer prescription as carefully and as diligently as you can. Without proper retainer care and wear, your teeth will shift back to the way they were. Even though you had braces, your smile is going to continue to shift and change as you age. Your retainer is going to keep your teeth from trying to go back to the way they were before braces – it’s just that simple and that important.
Do you have questions about your retainer or getting a retainer? Don’t hesitate to call ARCH Orthodontics at our offices in Orleans, Hyannis, Stoughton, Hyde Park, Westwood, Bridgewater, Brockton, Canton, and Randolph. We’re always happy to answer your questions and help you avoid losing or ruining your retainer. And, if something does happen to your retainer, we promise to help you fix it or get a replacement ASAP.
