My How Long Do I Have to Wear a Retainer After My Braces Come Off?
For many of us, growing adult teeth means growing a mouth full of crooked, unevenly spaced teeth. Even those with a strong foundation of good oral hygiene can’t guarantee their teeth will grow in perfectly aligned. This is when many people turn to braces to help correct and align their teeth into the beautiful smile they have always dreamed of. However, once the braces come off, keeping your teeth straight is extremely important and requires the use of a retainer. How long you must wear the retainer varies from patient to patient. Here is some useful information to help keep your smile looking its best.
As the Braces come off
Braces help correct a variety of issues from bad bites to crooked teeth. Having them come off after your main orthodontic treatment is through is an exciting event. Once your braces are removed, you will need to wear a custom-made retainer, designed to fit your mouth and keep your teeth in place. Because the retainer is removable, you may be tempted to avoid it as much as possible after getting your braces off to enjoy the freedom of natural teeth. However, the months just after your brace are removed are the most important time to wear your retainer. This will ensure that yourteeth settle into the proper places without undoing the work your braces did.
Usually you wear your retainer at night and in between meals to help your teeth keep shape, but as time goes on you may only wear your retainer at night. The benefit of wearing your retainer at night is that you will hardly notice it is on as you enjoy a good night’s sleep.
Type of Retainers
Retainers come in all shapes and sizes to accommodate all kinds of patients. There are two main classifications of retainers: removable and fixed. While removable retainers can be taken out to eat or brush your teeth, they should be worn around the clock for at least a year after your braces are removed. Everyone is different so check with us at Sequence Orthodontics to see how to wear your retainer for the best results. Fixed retainers are fixed to your teeth and not removable. They usually stay in place for several years but can be worn longer in some cases. Fixed retainers are helpful for patients with serious bite and spacing issues and can guarantee that their teeth settle correctly.
Retainer Care
Retainer care is incredibly important to the longevity of your retainer and your teeth health. Fixed retainers require regular checkups with your dentist to look for cavities and remove built up plaque and debris from the hardest-to-reach areas of your mouth. Fortunately, you can clean removable retainers simply by removing them and using specialized cleaning fluids to keep your retainer strong and clean.
For more information about your braces or retainer, please come see our experienced staff and Drs. Omid and Arash Rajaei at Sequence Orthodontics. Our offices are located in Waldorf and Leonardtown, MA. Contact us today!
Benefits of the Itero Scanner and Invisalign®
When it comes to braces, one of the most significant advancements in modern orthodontics is Invisalign®. We are proud to offer our patients this product, which will help correct a host of orthodontic issues ranging from tooth gap, to crooked teeth, to a bad bite. With such cutting-edge technology, Sequence Orthodontics is always investing in the newest advancements in order to guarantee our patients get the best treatment possible. One of our newest technological offerings is the ITero Scanner. We are proud to offer its amazing benefits to all of our patients in Waldorf and Leonardtown, Maryland.
What are Invisalign® aligners?
Invisalign® has a number of benefits over braces, but the one of the biggest benefits is that it does not force patients to wear uncomfortable metal brackets. While some might call Invisalign® “clear” or “invisible” braces, the truth is that Invisalign® is much different from traditional metal braces. Instead of utilizing brackets and wires, Invisalign® utilizes removable aligners that fit perfectly to your teeth. These aligners offer the same results as braces but with less pain and less annoyance. Because the aligners are removable, you can eat your regular diet and forget about avoiding certain foods. You simply pop the aligners out during meals, clean your teeth and put them back in.
You will have regular appointments at Sequence Orthodontics to make sure your aligner trays fit properly, and get new aligners whenever your teeth have shifted far enough. Here at Sequence Orthodontics, we consider each new set of aligners to be a mini-celebration, because we know you are getting one step closer to your ultimate goal of a beautiful smile.
What is the Itero Scanner?
When you come in to Sequence Orthodontics to get fitted for your new aligners, the cutting-edge Itero Scanner guarantees you will avoid the discomfort associated with Invisalign® aligners in the past. Previously, we would make an impression of your teeth in order to create personalized aligners. Although this is significantly less painful and uncomfortable than having metal braces adjusted, some patients reported a gag reflex during the impression.
The Itero Scanner removes the need for impressions by utilizing amazing technology to scan, map and create a digital impression of your teeth. These digital impressions are more accurate, less messy and less uncomfortable than physical impressions. Additionally, the ITero Scanner’s innovative technology will give you a visual of your overall outcome by mapping the way your teeth will look once your treatment is done.
Here at Sequence Orthodontics, we believe in providing the very best, most advanced orthodontic care to our patients in Waldorf and Leonardtown, Maryland. If you are in the Baltimore or Washington, D.C., area and think Invisalign® might be right for you, come in today to speak with our experienced orthodontists or contact us at either our Waldorf or Leonardtown location.