3 Different Types of Retainers After Braces
After getting your braces off, you need some pressure to maintain the new alignment of your teeth.
You can consider retainers after braces as the last nail in the coffin that will pay off the hard work you put in while wearing braces.
The changes that your mouth undergoes over time can make your teeth irregular.
Certainly, you wouldn't want that after investing so much into braces.
Thankfully, to protect your fixed teeth, you can choose from different types of braces after retainers.
If you don't know much about retainers after braces, we have got you covered.
Read More: Mindful Eating During Dental Treatment: Foods to Avoid with Braces
Why Do You Need Retainers After Braces
After receiving orthodontic treatment, a retainer is a tool that helps keep your teeth in place.
If teeth are not held in place as the surrounding bone matures, they have a tendency to return to their previous position.
Since bones are living tissue that changes throughout our lives, retainers can help you maintain your dental alignment for a long time.
Your teeth aren't totally fixed in their new position, even after braces have straightened them.
This does not occur until the muscles, bones, and gums adjust to the new situation.
Regular routines such as teeth grinding and chewing put pressure on your teeth, which can cause them to shift.
Malocclusion can be a major cause of teeth shifting. When your mouth is closed, your top and lower teeth will not line up.
Your braces held your teeth in a straight posture. Once you remove the braces, nothing will stop your teeth from reverting to their original position.
By keeping your teeth in their proper position, retainers after braces help prevent them from moving.
Duration of Wearing Retainers
Based on the condition of your teeth, the dentist may suggest a permanent retainer, a removable retainer, or possibly both types of retainers after braces.
The length of time during which you will have to wear the braces after retainers depend on the type.
Removable Retainer: This kind of retainer needs to be worn for four months to a year for the majority of patients. In the case that any issues arise after this point, your orthodontist might suggest that you wear them longer.
Permanent Retainer: Applied in more extreme situations, this kind of treatment has a longer lifespan than removable ones.
It differs from patient to patient and may last for up to several years. And the bonded retainer may last for approximately 20 years.
2 Types of Retainers After Braces
The common types of retainers are given below:
1.Clear Retainer
These are also known as Essix retainers, and they resemble Invisalign aligners.
An impression will be taken once your teeth are perfectly positioned so that your retainers can be made following your brace.
Following the completion of your orthodontic treatment, you should wear clear retainers every day.
After three months, wearing them just during the night would work.
Moreover, Invisalign manufactures Vivera, a premium, more robust clear retainer after braces.
Advantages of Clear Retainers
These are superb for restricting the movement of teeth as the orthodontist moulds them to each tooth.
This is one of the popular types of retainers after braces due to their flexibility.
Whenever you want to eat, clean the retainers, or even take pictures, you can remove them.
They are almost invisible virtually.
Disadvantages
As compared to the other types of retainers after braces, these are costly.
As they have a thin plastic construction that slides between the teeth, it may shift bite.
People who have issues like teeth grinding or playing sports will not find it long-lasting.
Upon using toothpaste to clean the retainer, you may notice some scratches on its surface. Due to stains and scratches, you may feel the need to replace them over the course of a period.
To learn how you can clean Invisalign without damaging them, read this blog.
2.Hawley Retainer
One of the most reliable retainers after braces is the detachable Hawley retainer.
It is made of metal and plastic and is particularly shaped to fit your mouth and teeth.
Once your teeth settle into their ultimate resting place, you can adjust the loops around your canines while wires cover your front six teeth.
Because of the wires and plastic, it is easily damaged and should be handled with vigilance.
Your orthodontist will tell you to keep wearing your retainer for the majority of the day at first in order for it to be effective.
However, after a few months of consistent use, they may permit you to wear it less and less each day.
Advantages of Hawley Retainers
The construction of these is pretty tough, making them durable.
These types of retainers after braces come in a range of unique colours and patterns. Those who like to give their accessories a personal touch would love Hawley retainers.
You can carry them around anywhere.
There are no restrictions to eating and drinking with these retainers after braces.
You don't have to be extra careful with these retainers as they don't scratch or stain easily.
Disadvantages
The wire of these retainers is in the front of your teeth, making their presence noticeable.
Due to the bulkiness, wearing these retainers after braces may irritate different areas of your mouth.
3.Permanent Retainers
A dental healthcare provider places permanent retainers, which remain in place until a specialist takes them out.
Your dentist will create a specific fit for a wire and attach or glue it to the back of your teeth.
Your dentist uses a metal wire to note down the precise position of your teeth.
Then, the wire is fixed in place using adhesive.
It takes longer to complete this complex procedure than to take an impression for a removable retainer.
However, your retainer is in place when you leave the dentist's office. You don't need to wait for the labs to prepare the retainer.
Permanent retainers usually treat the lower teeth. Although they can make it more difficult to keep your teeth clean, they can be a smart choice if you fear you won't remember to wear your detachable retainer.
Teeth can still move normally, even with permanent retainers after braces, as the wires are malleable.
Advantages of Permanent Retainers
You don't have to remember to wear a permanent retainer.
Even if you need to replace them, it won't cost you a lot.
Because permanent retainers are covertly bonded to the interior of teeth, they are not visible as such.
Permanent retainers are also more comfortable for some people. The majority of the time.
They don't cause discomfort.
Flossing with braces and a permanent retainer is similar in some ways. A floss threader is required for a thorough cleaning.
Disadvantages
Permanent retainers are always in your mouth, which may annoy some people.
Oral hygiene can become a little more challenging because they are not removable.
Food particles can become lodged in your retainer wire, and this can lead to plaque accumulation and gum disease if you skip cleaning your teeth after eating.
Because the wire in a permanent retainer is thin and flexible, your teeth may still shift. Even if that happens, there won't be much movement.
Choosing the Best Retainers After Braces
Your dentist will either present alternative options or propose the type of retainer they believe is ideal for you.
They might recommend a set of retainers that are permanent for the lower teeth and removable for the top teeth.
When discussing different types of retainers with your dentist, consider which one might be the most suitable for you in the long run.
Keep in mind the benefits and drawbacks of different types of retainers after braces which will suit your lifestyle the best.
Maintaining your teeth's cleanliness may be tough when wearing permanent retainers. But because of the wire, floss threaders may reach places you cannot. Another alternative is water flossers.
That means you will have plenty of options to maintain oral hygiene, no matter which retainers after braces you choose.
A permanent retainer requires removal and repair by an oral healthcare professional if the wire breaks or bends. They may also irritate some people, but that is something that can be changed.
On the other hand, the removable retainers after braces may break and need to be replaced.
Learn More: Dental Floss for Braces: Top 8 Picks From Our Expert Dentists
How to Make Wearing a Retainer a Habit
Your teeth may hurt for a few days after they first put on their retainer. Even though it's entirely normal, it may make you feel a little reluctant to wear their retainer.
Here are some easy ways to make a habit of wearing retainers after braces:
You can choose the retainers after braces that are customizable so that you can wear them as an accessory and not an oral appliance.
Reminding yourself to be patient. The formation of this new habit may take some time.
Reward yourself for wearing the retainer, especially during the first few weeks, for encouragement.
Always remember the end result and how you will achieve the smile you want by wearing the retainers.
FAQs
Do plastic retainers after braces change shape?
Yes, the plastic retainer will eventually loosen and stretch. At first, the retainer feels quite tight around your teeth. However, with time, they may begin to feel a little bit looser.
Which type of retainer after braces is the best for me?
Having an in-and-out removable retainer may be the best option if you struggle to maintain proper dental hygiene with braces.
On the other side, permanent retainers after braces can be the best option if you believe you'll have a tendency to forget to wear your removable retainer.
Can I put the removable retainers in hot water for cleaning?
Boiling or very hot water can distort your retainer. Your teeth can shift back towards their original positions or into new misalignments due to a retainer that has lost its original form.
In a Nutshell
If you don't want braces treatment reversal, retainers after braces are an essential tool.
They reposition your teeth firmly in one position, holding them in the right place.
In the beginning, you may feel some pain and discomfort, but it goes away with time.
Retainers after braces also make space for new and wisdom teeth and align your jaw bones with gum.
For these results to show swiftly, you need a good orthodontist. And when it comes to multiple to different orthodontic solutions, there is no better option than KWC Dental.