The team at Burlingame Smile Studio in Northern California wants to discuss retainers. The retention phase is an essential milestone. When you’re ready for an orthodontic retainer, the slow, difficult work of moving teeth is over.
Your smile looks incredible, but stay with the program.
There is still a lot going on behind the scenes—under the gums. Your jawbone, muscles, and soft tissues are adapting. This takes a while.
What is a Retainer?
A retainer is a custom-made appliance that helps teeth keep their new position after orthodontic treatment. Retainers may be removable or fixed in the mouth.
Patients who neglect to wear their retainer are at risk. Their beautifully-aligned teeth may shift. If your bite was corrected during treatment, it may revert back to the original condition.
Follow Our Recommendations
Our team will prescribe a schedule for wearing your retainer. Your orthodontic treatment plan is unique. It may differ from that of other patients.
What If I Lose My Retainer?
Occasionally, patients lose their retainer. If this happens, contact Burlingame Smile Studio right away for a replacement. We understand that life can get hectic. We urge you not to let weeks pass without getting a replacement retainer.
We teach our patients how to care for their retainer. It’s helpful if parents reinforce this training at home for their kids undergoing treatment.
Keep Your Retainer Clean
After eating, clean the retainer with a toothbrush. Brush it carefully with a toothbrush and toothpaste. You can use denture cleaner regularly for a deeper clean.
If your teen has a cell phone, set an alert to remind them to clean their retainer. While you’re at it, set an alert reminding them to keep the retainer in its case when not in use.
Keep Your New Smile Clean!
If it’s important to clean your retainer, it’s no surprise that it’s even more important to clean your beautiful new smile. It will be more straightforward now that the braces are off.
Practice daily dental hygiene. This includes brushing after meals and flossing at least once a day. Flossing and brushing before bed ensures that fragments of food don’t sit on teeth all night. For extra cavity prevention, use a fluoride rinse before going to sleep. This helps to rinse food particles from your mouth as well as neutralize the acids that cause plaque.
Orthodontic treatment from Burlingame Smile Studio allows you to have a beautiful smile. It doesn’t matter how old you are: an ideal bite and straight teeth are achievable at any age. We offer traditional metal braces, and also provide clear braces from Invisalign, as well as clear and mini metal options from In-Ovations. Schedule an appointment with us today.
Contact Burlingame Smile Studio:
650-231-2680
Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):
1740 Marco Polo Way Ste 12
Burlingame, California
940101