Month: August 2022

There are different types of retainers available in the market. Retainers are used for keeping your teeth in good shape and position after the Invisalign treatment. After the Invisalign treatment, you must retrainers to secure your teeth from any further dental issues.

There are mainly two types of retainers available: permanent and removable. Both these retainers are either made up of metal wire or clear plastic. Though, the purpose of both the retainers is the same they still affect your teeth differently.

Clear retainers are made from plastic and they fit on your teeth. They are made using the impression of your teeth and fit your upper and lower gums perfectly.

Metal wire retainers are made from wire that is not so hard and not so soft; so that they provide perfect pressure. Metal retainers are attached from the back of your teeth.

Both the retainers are equally effective and can last for years if you take proper care. It is vital to know how both the retainers work to select the better option for yourself.

How do plastic and metal retainers work?

There are some common features of both the retainers:

Metal retainers:

• Metal retainers are strong and durable
• They can be less expensive as compared to clear retainers.
• Metal retainers are easy to put in and take out from the mouth.
• Metal retainers are easy to use and you can adjust them according to your teeth. Which might not be possible with clear aligners.

Clear retainers:

• Clear retainers are easy to store. You can easily clean them as any debris is easily visible.
• They are more comfortable compared to metal retainers.
• They will cause any discomfort while speaking or communicating.
• They are not easily visible and hence look attractive and more people prefer them.

Lastly, if you experience any issues with your retainers consult your dentist for proper treatment.

Retainers are important to keep your teeth in place and protect them from moving back to their previous position. It is vital to wear your retainers after you are done with your Invisalign treatment. The main job of the retainers is to keep your teeth stable. There are two types of retainers; mainly, retainers are made from plastic, metal or acrylic.

Though the retainers are strong enough to keep your teeth in place and give you a beautiful smile for life, it is important to follow an oral hygiene routine to make sure the retainers work properly. Just like with braces, retainers also need precautions, and you must follow some oral hygiene tips to ensure your progress with your teeth is not harmed.

Whether your dentist gives you plastic or a metal retainer, you must brush your teeth before putting them back in your mouth. It is to ensure there is no food debris or plaque buildup between them. There are various reasons to brush your teeth before putting your retainers back in your mouth. The main reason is it will increase the life of your retainer, and you do not have to replace it before time.

Why should you brush your teeth before wearing retainers?

Like with aligners, there are some do’s that you should follow with retainers as well:

• Brushing your teeth before wearing your aligners will prevent bad breath.
• Your retainers will not be stained from the food between your teeth if you brush them before wearing the retainers.
• Brushing your teeth before wearing retainers will keep your retainers free from plaque buildup.
• Brushing your teeth before putting your retainers back will prevent cavities.

Lastly, if you experience any issues with your retainers, you must visit your dentist for a detailed check-up.

Once you are done with your Invisalign treatment, the next step is to wear the retainers. It is vital to wear retainers, so your teeth do not move back to their previous position. Patients’ most common question regarding their retainers is how long they must wear them. The answer to this is subjective and depends on your teeth condition and the type of retainer you use.

In general, it is important to wear your retainers full-time for 5-6 months to ensure that you avoid any dental relapse. If you are wearing a permanent retainer, you may have to wear it for 12-14 months continuously. And if you are wearing a permanent retainer, you have to replace it after 3-5 months; after that, it might not be necessary for you to wear them all the time.

Various other factors play a role in how fast your retainers work and hold your teeth in place. After you are done with your Invisalign process, your teeth leave the gaps behind surrounding the tissues and bone. If you have severe dental issues, those gaps can be more prominent and take time to restore new bones; hence, you might have to wear your retainers for longer.

Stages of wearing a retainer

There are different types of retainers, and all of them have a different time frame; therefore, it is vital to wear your retainers on the proper schedule:

• For the first 3-6 months, you must wear your retainers for 22 hours.
• After 3-6 months of regularly wearing your retainers, you can now only wear them at night.
• After 1-2 years, you can skip wearing your retainers for 1 or 2 nights or wear them every alternate day as it will not harm your teeth.

Lastly, if you experience any issues with your retainers, you must visit your dentist for reliable treatment.