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Some people assume that once their braces are off, their work is done. That’s not quite how it works! Windy City Orthodontics is here to tell you more about this stage and answer the question: Why is retention crucial for preserving a straight smile?
At Long Last
First and foremost, let’s talk about what happens when your active orthodontic treatment concludes. Dr. Pakravan and our team will be there to explain this process further as you experience your treatment.
- Removal of Braces or Aligners: For traditional braces, Dr. Pakravan and our assistants will first carefully remove the brackets, wires, and other components from your teeth. This process isn’t a painful one and is relatively quick. If you used aligners like Spark Clear Aligners, we would remove and polish off any attachments or rubber band connectors.
- Teeth Cleaning and Polishing: After removing traditional braces, we will thoroughly clean and polish your teeth to remove any adhesive residue left behind. This ensures that your teeth are nice and smooth, and free of any leftover materials and surface staining.
- Retainer Fitting: Our next step will be taking digital scans of your teeth to create your custom retainers. This will be very familiar if you’ve had clear aligners or a custom braces setup. These retainers are designed to keep your new smile as it is. Depending on your needs, we might opt for fixed stabilizing wires (which are bonded to the back of your teeth) along with more traditional removable retainers (clear plastic or wire-based).
- Instructions for Retainer Use: You’ll probably be instructed to wear your retainers full-time for a certain period, except while eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth. Over time, most patients shift to wearing their retainers only at night.
- Final Adjustments: At this point, we will check your bite and the overall alignment of your teeth to ensure everything is flawless! This is a good stage to make any final adjustments to optimize your results.
- Celebrating Your New Smile: Our team will take before-and-after photos to showcase the amazing transformation of your smile! This is the point where you get to enjoy your lovely aligned teeth and the confidence that comes with it.
Maintaining Retention
So, what comes next? Windy City Orthodontics is going to give you some key information about retention and why it matters so much.
- Wearing Your Retainers as Prescribed: Probably the most critical aspect of retention is simply being diligent about wearing your retainers. This can be more of a challenge for those who have had fixed braces and aren’t used to this new removable component.
- Clean Your Retainers Regularly: You must be equally diligent about caring for this appliance. Be sure to clean your retainers daily with a toothbrush and mild soap or a special cleaning solution. Avoid scalding or hot water, as it can warp the retainer’s shape. In addition to this, consider soaking your retainers in a denture cleaner once a week to keep them fresh and remove bacteria.
- Handle Your Retainers with Care: Retainers can be delicate, so be sure to store them in their case to protect them from damage or loss. If you aren’t mindful about where you place them, they can easily be thrown away by mistake. Again, keep your retainers away from direct heat, like sunlight, to prevent warping.
- Maintain Regular Dental Check-Ups: You should continue visiting your dentist regularly to monitor the stability of your smile and Windy City Orthodontics is always available to ensure that your retainers continue to fit correctly.
- Stay Consistent: Orthodontic treatment is a long-term commitment, and retention is proof of that. Because changes in tooth position happen naturally with age, some level of retainer wear might be needed indefinitely to ensure your teeth don’t shift over time. For this reason, you should incorporate retainers into a routine, especially during the night.
- Watch for Shifts: If you’ve had a lapse in retention, check your teeth for any signs of shifting. Any noticeable movement is a reason to contact Dr. Pakravan.
- Maintain Good Oral Hygiene: Along with all of this, be consistent with regular brushing and flossing to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Healthy gums are especially key for keeping your teeth in place after active treatment.
Keeping Up the Good Work
The good news is that orthodontic treatment takes discipline, and you’ll have probably developed a good bit of that by the retention period! We anticipate that everyone will have some challenges, and part of our job at Windy City Orthodontics is to help address these with you one-on-one. We look forward to seeing you in Lakeview or Lincoln Park!