teeth retainers everything you need to know

Many people take retainers during orthodontic treatment, whilst this term is often used to draw the orthodontic appliance itself, this is not strictly truthful, then this blog post will aid the reader sympathise more about teeth retainers, the types of retainers and went retainers should be used.

Let'due south get this directly

Pun intended! lots of people talk about their orthodontic apparatus and call it a servant. There are 2 unlike types of orthodontic appliance:

  1. Active appliance. This is an agile appliance which is actively placing pressure level on to your teeth to move them in the desired direction.
  2. Passive appliance. This blazon of apparatus is completely passive, it is not moving your teeth in any direction at all, it is just in that location to hold the teeth in their final position after braces have been removed. This is the true definition of a servant, they retain your teeth in their new position.

Types of retainer

Retainers (passive appliances) are usually classified into 2 categories:

  1. Fixed Retainers – these are retainers which are fixed onto the inside of your teeth, they are aptitude by your orthodontist to accurately fit your teeth. They are and so bonded to your teeth using a special bonding resin. Because they are bonded to your teeth they are worn 24 hours per day.
  2. Removable retainers – these retainers are usually clear appliances and can expect very much like active appliances, such every bit Invisalign. They are very frequently worn at night only.

Permanent retainers vs removable

The biggest difference is that with a permanent retainer you will not be able to take it out. This means the chances of the teeth relapsing is very small. Removable retainers can exist lost, forgotten or cleaved far more than easily increasing the chance of relapse. If you have a removable appliance it is important that you make clean your teeth and make clean your retainers separately, retainers should not be cleaned with regular toothpaste equally they can be rather abrasive.

One disadvantage of a permanent retainer is that it is slightly more difficult to clean, you lot need to ensure y'all have a expert oral health intendance regime in social club to clean effectually a permanent servant. Your orthodontist will give you lot instructions on how to do this.

What happens if I don't wear a retainer after braces

Your teeth will very probable begin to drift. We oft find that patients are told by their general dentist that they tin can accept orthodontic treatment which gets them "80% of the way at that place". A specialist orthodontist will always attempt to go most people to 100% of the way at that place and non stop until they do. Many general dentist's also don't include retainers in their treatment costs, this can exist detrimental to results as you will find you are much more than probable to get relapse within a few years if you don't wear a servant.

People that have removable retainers are far more likely to have relapse, not because the servant doesn't piece of work simply because they are not wearing it every bit much. This is why a specialist orthodontist will often prefer a fixed servant as information technology ensures information technology is worn 24 hours a day and that the treatment doesn't relapse, giving you much better value from your treatment. Afterward all, no one wants to pay to accept teeth straightened and then have to do information technology over again a few years later!

Should I wear my retainer if my gums are swollen

If your gums are swollen information technology is likely in indicator that you have early-phase gingivitis. This could be because the teeth are not being cleaned fairly. You should make an appointment to see your dentist as soon equally possible to ensure your oral health routine is as good as possible. When gums nifty like this they can rub on removable retainers making them uncomfortable.

Whilst the retainer could be adjusted past an orthodontist information technology would exist a far better selection to treat the gums swelling by visiting your dentist beginning.

Sometimes people enquire nigh a retainer causing swollen gums, whilst this is technically possible if the retainer is touching the gums, it is highly unlikely equally most retainers fit then tightly around the teeth that they don't move effectually and rub. Information technology's far more likely that the glue has swollen making contact with the retainer.

How to floss under a retainer

If y'all have a fixed retainer the easiest way to floss underneath is to either utilise a minor interdental brush or to utilise super floss. Super floss has a pointed flexible terminate which enables you to threaded through in betwixt your teeth and underneath a retainer. This simply isn't possible with regular floss.

If I beginning wearing my retainer once again will my teeth move back

If you have stopped wearing your retainer for merely a short menstruum of time, perhaps i week then yes, the teeth will motility dorsum again. if you have stopped wearing a retainer for whatever longer than this fourth dimension then in that location is a skillful run a risk that your teeth will have relapsed too far for the retainer to make any departure.

If you left your retainer out for any period of time longer than 1 calendar week we recommend you lot visit your orthodontist again as you lot may require agile treatment prior to having a new retainer fabricated.

How long should I wearable my retainer a day

The usual recommendation is for as long as possible merely at to the lowest degree 10 hours overnight. The longer y'all are able to habiliment your retainer per day the more chance you have of keeping your teeth in their lovely new position and avoiding any relapse.

Author

Doctor Lewis

Faiza Lewis (nee Darugar) has been a Dentist for over 26 years and a Specialist Orthodontist for 17 years. She graduated from Birmingham Dental School in 1993 and from Guy'south Hospital in Orthdontics in 2002. She has had a variety of hospital jobs in maxillofacial surgery and working for the Wandsworth Customs Dental Service before starting the 3 twelvemonth Specialisation Programme in Orthodontics. She started work at Ewell Orthodontics in 2002 knowing her friend, Richard Williams was working there too and in 2012 became a joint owner with him.

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