Information on the Long Term use of Retainers

Your teeth should now still be nice and straight, if you have been following our Retainer instructions.

We congratulate you on what you have achieved with Braces!

We trust that you have found the experience worthwhile, and our standard of Care to be outstanding.

Also, we hope that you have found Orthodontic Care to be a wise investment in your overall health, well being, and personal appearance.

Since we removed your Braces you have been using Retainers over a compulsory period of nine to twelve months, and we have been instructing you on how to use your Retainers less with time.

Right now you should be using them every night, until you wake up the next morning.

You may also have Bonded Wires behind your lower and upper front teeth. 

Your Retainers and Bonded Wires allowed your teeth to stay straight, while your gums and bone healed after the tooth moving process. 

ALL ABOUT RELAPSE

If you followed our Retainer instructions properly, you would have gone a long way to prevent Relapse; which is when the teeth move after braces are removed. 

The main cause of relapse is not using your Retainers as you were instructed.

However, relapse is also related to how crooked or spaced the teeth were before Orthodontic Care, and severely crooked or severely spaced teeth have a greater chance of relapse. 

Relapse can also vary from person to person. Even someone who started with mildly crooked teeth could end up with a relapse of their result. 

The key is to have been following all our Retainer instructions properly since your Braces came off. 

CHANGES WITH TIME

The compulsory period of nine to twelve months of using Retainers and Bonded Wires will prevent relapse.

However, if you just stop using Retainers and Bonded Wires after this period, the position of the teeth can still change with time.

These changes with time are due to reasons that are not very clear, and may include:

• Jaw growth in children and teenagers.
• Jaw bone mineral changes in adults. 
• Habits like nail-biting, thumb-sucking, and clenching and grinding the teeth.

Also, the latest research shows that changes in tooth position with time are NOT related to the following:

• Age, gender or ethnicity.
• The Wisdom teeth; even if they are impacted.

The removal of your Wisdom Teeth to prevent changes with time is NOT advised at all. 

It is just a fact that after any Orthodontic Care, and the compulsory period of Retainer use, changes in the position of the teeth can occur throughout our lifetime. 

Simply put, the position of the teeth can change with time because time changes things!

OUR LONG TERM ADVICE TO YOU

When the compulsory period of nine to twelve months of using Retainers and Bonded Wires is over, we will no longer need to review you. You can now decide if to keep on using your Retainers and Bonded Wires.

However, we have some recommendations for you, so that you have a better chance of keeping the result you achieved with your Braces.

So if today is your last visit with us, or if you have popped in for some advice, here is what we recommend.

1. You should continue to see your dentist for your regular check-ups, to maintain a healthy mouth.
   
   
2. Your dentist can also check your Bonded Wires, because a loose or broken bonded wire can cause cavities or gum disease.
   
   
3.  Keep your Bonded Wires in place, for as long as possible, to prevent changes.
   
   
4. Keep your Bonded Wires clean. Don’t use floss; this will break or pull off your Bonded Wire. Use your toothbrush and your Water-Flosser instead.
   
   
5. Use your Retainers for a minimum of six to eight hours per day/night for as long as possible. You can use them for more hours if you are willing, and this will prevent changes with time.
   
   
6. If your Bonded Wire becomes loose you should wear your Retainer in that jaw all the time. Call us, and we will arrange to see you to repair or replace your Bonded Wire.
   
   
7. Keep your Retainers safe. If you lose them, damage them, or feel you need new ones, then call us. We will arrange to see you to repair or replace your Retainers.
   
   
8. You may consider removing your Bonded Wires, while continuing to use your Retainers well. This is possible, but with no Bonded Wires present there will be some changes with time. Before removing your Bonded Wires, we will need to make sure that your Retainers are fitting well.
   
   
9. At some point you may decide to stop using Retainers, and to remove your Bonded Wires. Before making this decision, we suggest that you come in to see us for advice. You could even call and talk to us over the phone.

  If you decide to do this, then the teeth will definitely move with time; you have to accept this.

We hope that you find this information helpful, and that you decide to invest additional time in using your Retainers and Bonded Wires.