The Do’s and Don’ts of Removable Retainers

So, you’ve endured the uncomfortable braces. You’ve eaten, slept, brushed, and flossed with them. Now, they are removed, and you’re greeted by your amazing new smile. Now what?

Well, you want to keep your smile looking incredible, right? You’ve done the hard part; now you just need to wear your retainers. 

Why do I need to wear retainers after braces? 

You might be thinking that you wore your braces— you paid your dues— and that’s it! Braces were uncomfortable and tedious, but they did their job! 

Teeth have a memory. They tend to naturally shift back to their original positions over time. It’s slow and gradual. You might not even notice it until weeks or months later. But it will happen if you don’t consistently wear your retainer. 

Retainers keep your smile in perfect place and shape. There’s a reason we orthodontists hammer home the importance of retainers so much. Without them, all your hard work will disappear, and it’ll be like you never even had braces. 

What should I do right after my braces come off? 

Most patients smile once they feel the braces come off. So, let’s keep that smile going! 

For the first 8 weeks, you should wear your retainers for 22 hours a day, 7 days a week. You should only take your retainers out to eat and brush. After you eat, you should brush your teeth and your retainers before putting them back in. That may sound tedious, but it’s a lot easier than braces. 

After 8 weeks, you’ll come in for a retainer check-up. Then you’ll only need to wear them when you go to sleep. If you want your beautiful smile to last a lifetime, retainers are a lifetime commitment. 

How do I clean my retainers? 

To clean your retainers, brush them with antibacterial soap for about 2 minutes. They’ll be on your teeth for a long while, so you’ll want them to be clean. Then, rinse them with cold water. You should do this in the morning after you take your retainers out and at night before you put them back in. Treat them like your teeth. 

You can also soak your retainers in a denture cleaner for a less frequent but deeper clean. You might also want to clean your retainer case occasionally. 

What are the Do’s and Don’t’s of retainers? 

When you are not wearing your retainers, do store them in your retainer case. Don’t wrap them in a napkin or just put them in your pocket. Gross things can attach to your retainers and become a pain to remove. 

The Dont's

Don’t wear your retainer while swimming or playing a sport. They can get damaged. 

Don’t store your retainers somewhere hot, like in a hot car. The heat can warp and bend the retainers so they don’t fit you anymore. Do store them somewhere safe and at room temperature. 

The Do's

Do store your retainers somewhere out of reach of pets. Cats might want to play with the weird plastic toy. Dogs will chew your case and retainers. Trust us, we speak from experience! 

Do remove your retainers when eating and drinking. However, you do not need to remove them just to drink water. 

Do bring your retainers to all orthodontic appointments. They will be vital for your future oral health. Plus, we can provide a deep clean. 

What if my retainers get lost, broken, or no longer fit? 

We can take care of that! But we’ll have to work quickly. As we said earlier, your teeth have a memory and will want to return to their pre-braces positions as soon as possible. 

So please call our office immediately. We can’t stress that enough because we want you to keep your beautiful smile. Call us at (757) 351-0090 to schedule an appointment. There will be a retainer replacement fee, but it is well worth it for a beautiful, life-long smile.