Wearing your retainer daily is just as important as brushing your teeth! Like any other part of oral care, keeping on top of your retainer wear is essential to keeping your smile looking its best! Wearing your retainer routinely will contribute to better overall oral and gum health. When moving from a smile straightening device to an open smile, it’s important to maintain the sparkle!
Why is it Important to Wear Your Retainer?
Did you know that teeth have a memory? Your teeth and jaw know where everything was before braces or Invisalign. Over time they can shift back into their original position. This is especially true if you recently completed your braces or Invisalign journey. For the first three to six months, your teeth are more vulnerable to movement. But this doesn’t mean you can stop wearing your retainer after six months! Wearing a retainer is a life-long requirement. At any point in time your teeth can move. It’s a normal part of human biology for your teeth to shift, even as an adult. Wearing a retainer will not move your teeth back, but instead are a method of defence to prevent future issues when your teeth move, whether by braces, Invisalign, or by previously forgetting to wear your retainer. A retainer’s main job is to keep teeth in place following your braces or Invisalign treatment. If you forget to wear your retainer and your teeth have shifted, the retainer won’t guarantee realignment. The only job for a retainer is to maintain the positioning of teeth. If you have gone too long without wearing your retainer, you will be required to return to your orthodontist and receive further care to realign your teeth.
Retainers may also be an option for people who have other conditions, such as temporomandibular disorders (TMD) or individuals who grind their teeth at night. Not wearing your retainer if you have a condition such as this can lead to pain, discomfort, and an increased risk of continued symptoms.
What do I do if I Stopped Wearing My Retainer?
If you just stopped wearing your retainer, start wearing it again right away! Not wearing your retainer for a short period of time should not drastically change the straightness of your smile, but be warned, the early signs of movement are often not noticeable to the untrained eye. There can be some feeling of pressure or pain in your mouth if teeth are crowding back together. Your bite may also feel slightly off and cause issues when eating or talking. These issues can lead to other forms of health problems such as headaches.
If you have gone a long period of time not wearing your retainer, then return to wearing it, and there is tightness or discomfort once you return to wear, it may be too late. Wearing an ill fitting retainer can cause serious issues to the health of your teeth and gums.
If you stopped wearing your retainer because of other factors, like if it was lost, broken, or damaged in any other form, make an appointment with your orthodontist to be fitted for a new one. In the meantime, your orthodontist will give you temporary solutions to maintain the current position of your teeth.
My Teeth have Moved! What do I do Now?
If this is the case, then you should make an appointment with your orthodontist to check and see if your teeth have moved in a poor way. This may lead to further use of a smile straightening device. If the movement isn’t too bad, then you may be fitted for a new retainer. Do not force your old retainer in! This can cause more harm than good! Depending on the type of retainer given, you can cause damage to your tooth enamel as well as other more severe issues like root damage from the pressure if they do not fit correctly.
Conclusion
To conclude, wearing your retainer is incredibly important! It is a preventative measure to maintain all the time, hard work and dedication that you put into straightening your smile! Not wearing your retainer can lead to problems down the line, sometimes even requiring more time in braces!
If you have any questions or concerns about your retainer, book an appointment with us here at Belmar Orthodontics!