After what seems like a lifetime, you are finally done with your orthodontic treatment! Your smile is stunning, your bite is perfect and the added health benefits are great. No more being careful about what to eat, no more worrying about food getting stuck in and around the braces and you can finally smile without brackets and wires showing.
Now, your orthodontist wants you to wear a retainer! Wait! What? Why?
If you go through all of the time, effort and expense of getting braces, then the last thing that you want is for your teeth to shift once your braces come off. Like all things in the human body, your teeth and gums will continue to change throughout your lifetime. If you lose 50 pounds through diet and exercise, you can’t expect to stay fit without some maintenance. Your teeth are exactly the same. Your orthodontist wants to make sure you retain the new alignment of your teeth. Consistent wear of a retainer is the best way to maintain your correction.
What Happens During Orthodontic Treatment
When your teeth move, the periodontal ligament that surrounds the root of the tooth and attaches to the alveolar bone is stretched and compressed. Bone-growing cells are deposited on the side where the tension is pulling the periodontal ligament away from the bone, while on the other side, bone is broken down and reabsorbed. Resorption happens in about three days, while deposition takes roughly three months. Because it takes time for the teeth to settle into the bone and the soft tissue to remodel around the new position of the teeth, without braces the teeth will attempt to return to their old position.
What Is A Retainer And What Does It Do?
A retainer is an orthodontic appliance made to hold the teeth in place so they don’t shift. Your orthodontist will design a retention plan for you based on your orthodontic treatment and lifestyle. Initially, you will be asked to wear your retainer full time. Typically, full-time wear lasts two to four months, but it may be as long as a year. Not wearing the retainer is like leaving a gate open, allowing your teeth to go wherever they’d like without stopping them.
Once your orthodontist feels your tissue has stabilized, you will only have to wear your retainer at night. Teeth can naturally shift over time due to a number of factors so you should expect to wear the retainer indefinitely.
These are some reasons you should wear your retainer indefinitely:
- Your body continues to change as you get older. This includes your bone, teeth and gum tissue.
- You might develop a new habit or sustain an injury that causes teeth to move.
- Having a tooth extracted creates a space in your mouth that allows room for other teeth to shift.
Forgetting to wear your retainer for one or two nights isn’t going to be the end of the world. However, continued negligence can result in your teeth moving. If left for too long, you may need to go back into orthodontic treatment. If your teeth have only shifted a little bit, and it hasn’t been too long, your retainer may be able to shift your teeth back into place.
Orthodontic Treatment: The Takeaway
When you got orthodontic treatment, you made an investment in yourself, so treat your retainer like part of that investment because it is!
Have you lost or broken your retainer? Did you have braces and stop wearing your retainer? Have your teeth moved since you had braces? Dr. Holbert can help you out. Whether you just need a new retainer or you want to straighten your teeth, you need a skilled, experienced doctor. Visit us online or call 804-270-7824 for an appointment today!
Dr. Holbert offers traditional braces, Empower® braces and he is an Invisalign® Platinum+ Provider. With his expertise and the latest technology, including the iTero Digital Scanner, you can have a wonderful experience and a beautiful smile.
