So you\u2019ve undergone orthodontic treatment for quite a few months and you\u2019re finally ready to get your braces off \u2013 but the treatment doesn\u2019t end there. Once they have had their braces off, many patients consider their treatment to be complete, neglecting their essential, retainers.<\/p>\n
Retainers help your teeth stay in the correct position after you\u2019ve had your braces off. Failing to wear your retainer for the allocated time will result in your teeth shifting gradually back into their original position and all of your patience and efforts will have gone to waste!<\/p>\n
If you have damaged your retainer or think there is a problem and it is not fitting correctly, notify us immediately, as the longer you leave it, the more time your teeth have to revert back out of place \u2013 it can take us up to a week to rectify retainer damage. Broken wires, sharp edges, loose pieces of glue should all be brought to the attention of your orthodontist.<\/p>\n
Take care when eating food that are tough and can potentially damage its\u2019 components \u2013 examples of such foods are hard sweets, granary bread as well as toffee and caramel which can be difficult to remove once they are within the nooks and crannies!<\/p>\n
It is important to remove your retainer when eating sticky and sugary foods also because if they become stuck in your retainer, you create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria in the form of plaque and tartar deposits which are tricky to remove and open you up to the risks of gingivitis.<\/p>\n
This is entirely dependent on the kind of treatment you have undergone and how much you are looking to change the position of your teeth. You orthodontist will be able to inform you of roughly how long you\u2019ll need to wear a retainer post-braces.<\/p>\n