Braces and retainers

Orthodontic Retainers are appliances made from plastic and stainless steel to custom fit your mouth. They act as a guide to hold your teeth into place after braces are removed. A retainer holds your teeth in place so your surrounding gums and bone can adjust around them – allowing you to maintain your realigned smile. Although the time you must wear a retainer will vary, many orthodontists recommend retainers are worn into the early 20s until the bone in your jaw and mouth has stopped growing. If your child has to wore one, you should go to pediatric dentistry for some tips and advices such as: it is recommended to wear it at least 6 month after the braces first came off. Make sure you buy some retainer cases, so your child doesn't lose it, because a new one can cost up to $300. Put one in his school bag, in your car, or at home. After this period is over, your pediatric dentist will probably tell that he has to wear it only at night for at least 4 to 6 additional months. It takes many months for the periodontal ligaments and bone to "remember" the new position of his teeth and keep them in place. The retainer helps keep them in their proper new positions. It's important for your child to wear the retainer exactly as your pediatric dentist recommends. Otherwise, his teeth may shift, especially if he stops wearing it in the first two years after the braces came off. He will probably have to wear a retainer regularly for a long period of time, at least one night a weak, but he will have a very beautiful smile. In pediatric dentistry you'll also find advice about how to clean a retainer. Clean it every night the way your pediatric dentist recommends. Rinse it with warm water after taking it out of his mouth, and also before putting it back in later! This will help prevent bacterial buildup. You can brush a Hawley retainer with a toothbrush and a tiny bit of toothpaste, but that is not recommended for a clear Essix retainer, as it can get scratched. Your pediatric dentist should tell you what your child might feel while wearing it, so you'll know how to answer his questions. For example, the first days wearing a teeth retainer he could feel some discomfort and a sore mouth. If your child doesn't seem to deal so well with the pain you should take it to the orthodontics for adjustment. Being a foreign body in the mouth, the retainer could also irritate the salivary glands which will lead to an increased salivation. You could also notice difficulty in speaking the first days, but it will quickly return to normal as the tongue’s movements are adjusted to the presence of the retainer. Remember to tell your child always to remove it during sports to prevent damage and last but not least don't forget about the importance of cleaning it. Here are some different types of retainers: -The Hawley retainer - is the most known one and it is made of a metal wire that surrounds the teeth and keeps them in place. It is anchored in a specially-molded acrylic arch that sits in the palate or floor of the mouthrn-The Essix retainer - also common, clear or transparent, it fits over the entire arch of teeth and is similar in appearance to Invisalign traysrn-Fixed retainer - it typically consists of a passive wire bonded to the tongue-side of the lower incisors. Unlike the other orthodontic retainer types, they can not be removed by the patient.