When it’s time for your braces to come off, you’ll be fitted with a retainer to help your new smile stay in its corrected position. It is best to remove your retainers when brushing and please be sure to follow all instructions for wear and care. For the first few days with your retainers, you may experience some soreness and/or difficulty speaking. These reactions are normal, and will disappear quickly. If you have any questions call us – we love to answer your concerns. It may be necessary in some situations to schedule an appointment and you will certainly be able to do that when you call.
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you should wear your retainer all the time, even while eating and sleeping. You should take it out to clean it when you brush and floss your teeth. After about 9 months, when the roots are “set,” you can start wearing your retainer only while you sleep, but we will follow your retention progress to give you the sleep only instruction.
You can clean your retainer by brushing it on both sides with toothpaste and you may occasionally use denture cleanser and warm water. NEVER put your retainer in boiling water, and never wash it in the dishwasher or microwave; the form fitting plastic will distort and not fit properly. When it’s not in your mouth, your retainer should stay in its case, kept away from pets – dogs especially love to chew the appliances!
