Retention and Retainers

When we remove your braces, we will begin the retention stage of your treatment.  The maintenance of the final result depends on your retainers, so you really want to follow through on all the work up until this point. Protect your investment! Remember to remove your retainer before brushing, and brush your retainer before placing it back in your mouth.

Retainers

Dr. Hiller will either choose the best retainer for your situation.  This decision is made based on your bite. We create these in our office which cuts down on waiting time for your retainer!

Be careful handling your upper retainer, because they can break easily. We’ll also give you a special case for your retainer, where you should keep it if you’re not wearing it.

After meals, brush your teeth or rinse your mouth out before placing your retainer back in.  To clean your retainers, brush them with toothpaste and warm water.  We also recommend soaking your retainer with a denture cleanser once a week, but this is not a substitute for brushing. We’ve heard that one before.

Your retainers should be worn at all times, with the exception of eating and brushing your teeth. Your retainer should also be removed when participating in sports that require a mouthguard or while swimming. After three months of proper use, we may revise your treatment to only wearing your retainer at night. Your teeth will think of it as time off for good behavior.

Dr. Hiller may prescribe a bonded (fixed) wire retainer in certain situations. It is important to brush and floss around the wire daily like we instruct you to do. If you don’t, our receptionists will ask that you return the smiley face sticker we gave you because that would not be a happy day.