Retainers

What are retainers?

Retainers are customized pieces of plastic or metal made to match the shape of your mouth and your teeth alignment. Retainers are either removable or fixed.

Removable retainers
Removable retainers are made of a plastic-like material and wire or clear plastic trays. They can be put in and removed daily for eating and cleaning.

Fixed retainers
Fixed retainers are customized wire fits and bonded to the tongue side of your upper and/or lower teeth.

Why would I need to wear retainers?

After braces are removed, the bone and soft tissues around your teeth are not as stable for several months as your uncorrected teeth were. You need a retainer after braces to maintain and stabilize your teeth’s position. If you don’t wear a retainer, your teeth may move after braces, requiring retreatment to move them back into the correct position.

The team at Mandana Mozayeni Orthodontics may recommend a retainer instead of braces if you only need to move a single tooth or close a space between two teeth.

How do I care for retainers?

You should take removable retainers out of your mouth to clean them. Brush the retainer after each meal to clean off any debris before it hardens. For a deeper clean, mix water and mild dish soap, and use a soft toothbrush to scrub away plaque and debris. Toothpaste may scratch the retainer’s surface.

If there is debris on your retainer that won’t come off with gentle brushing, call or schedule an appointment online, and the team will remove stubborn tartar from your appliance.

Fixed retainers must be flossed one to two times each day. A floss threader helps guide the floss under the wire so that you can get it between the teeth and under the gum line.

To find out if you need a retainer, call Mandana Mozayeni Orthodontics or book an appointment online today.