Retainers for Life? Retainers for Life!
At Orthodontic Specialists Indian Valley we offer a retainer program for our patients. Once you’ve invested the time and money into getting your teeth straight and bite corrected, retainers help to ensure your amazing smile is maintained and protected.
What Do You Mean I Have To Wear Retainers For The Rest Of My Life?
I thought I only had to wear them for a little bit and then I could throw them away? Like every part of our body, our teeth are constantly changing. Shift happens! Not only do teeth want to return to their previous state at the end of orthodontic treatment, but crowding of teeth … This text opens a new tab …is also a part of aging. This is where a properly designed retainer program comes in.
Why You Should Keep Wearing Your Retainer.
Retainer wear has 2 primary purposes:
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- Research shows that the cells of your teeth, bones, and gum can take up to one year to adapt to the new straightened position. This is why retainer wear is crucial immediately after braces come off. Full-time wear is strongly recommended, followed by night time wear after that initial period.
- Even after teeth are placed into their corrected position, aging will tend to crowd the teeth again. Our skin, hair, and nails are constantly changing with age. Teeth are no different!
What if I Lose My Retainer?
The most common issues we hear with retainers are “my teeth were straight until I lost my retainer” or “my retainer stopped fitting”. It’s a scenario that plays out time and time again across our Souderton, Telford and Harleysville region. Someone finishes wearing braces, wears their retainer for a bit, accidentally throws the retainers out one day…they are scared or embarrassed…take some time before telling anyone or calling their doctor…and boom…just like that their teeth are crooked again. All because they lost their retainer.
To avoid this predicament, our retainer program ensures you can replace your clear Invisalign style retainers up to 4 times per year for 7 years after treatment. This is made possible by our 3D digital scanner. Once your orthodontic treatment is complete, a digital scan of your teeth will be stored. We can use this information to save your printed model and make a new retainer when needed. Another example of how technology is leading to better, more convenient results.
If you or your child are interested in orthodontic treatment please reach out! We would love to make you smile. If there is a retainer in your life that needs replacing or you’ve gone some time without one, we can help as well! Please contact us at 215-799-4602.
