So, your braces are finally off, and your teeth are looking perfect. You think you’re home free…until your orthodontist presents you with your new set of clear retainers. Called Essix or Invisalign retainers, they are quickly replacing the more expensive traditional wire, or Hawley retainers. Though almost invisible once worn, adjusting to these retainers can pose a real problem. Keep in mind these few simple rules that will help you adjust to your new Essix retainers and keep your smile in top shape. You’ll need to, because at times you will contemplate ripping your teeth out!
Keep Your Retainers On When Required
For most people, that means all-day and all-night wear for the first six months, except at mealtimes. (The lucky ones only have to wear it at night right off the bat.) If that’s what you need to do, by all means do it! The longer and more often you wear your retainers, the faster you will adjust to them. Keeping them on for less time and going longer without putting them back in will just irritate you more when you do put them back in. Keeping your retainers in for the required amount of time also ensures that your teeth will stay aligned, as they are most likely to move out of place in the first six months of being brace-free. You also want to retain that perfect alignment, because most orthodontists will make you a second set of retainers (using a new impression) around six weeks after you first start wearing them. Though this second set is generally used as a backup, it will be highly uncomfortable to go through the process of adjusting to a different shaped retainer. If you have even slightly out-of-place teeth when you make a second impression, it will make a world of difference between your two sets of retainers.
That means don’t gnash your teeth with your retainers in! It’s hard to resist that at first, but doing so can damage your retainers, and you’ll end up having to pay for a new set. Now remember, your retainers are not mouth guards! Take them out before you exercise or participate in sports – these are two activities that have teeth-grinding, retainer-cracking potential. Also, resist the temptation to “accidentally” wrap your retainers in a dirty napkin and let them get thrown away, exactly like your orthodontist explained to you not to. Again, you wouldn’t want to pay for a replacement set, and you need to retain proper teeth alignment so you can get a proper second set of retainers.
Keep Your Mouth and Retainers Clean
Floss and brush your teeth at a minimum of twice daily, and clean your retainers then as well. Who wants to have something that tastes like nap-breath in their mouth all day? Besides that, another really important reason to clean your retainers is to prevent cavities. Bacteria from your teeth deposit onto your retainers and multiply. Constantly keeping such bacteria in close contact with your teeth – well, you can most likely see how that could be a problem.
And there you have it: three easy rules that will help you adjust to your Essix retainers in no time.
