All about Dental Retainers


Everybody likes to have straight teeth as a result they consult orthodontist to get this achieved with the help of braces or retainers. After wearing braces for a particular period of time, your teeth will become straight, but this does not meant that it will remain straight forever. Therefore orthodontists use retainers. It is a least expensive measure to make your teeth straight. 
Retention of is the final step involved in the orthodontic treatment. The gums and bones around the teeth take longer time to move. Retainers are placed to keep the teeth in place as well to aid bones and gums to take shape while the teeth grow. The common ones are the Vacuforms and Hawley.  They are mostly worn on a full time basis which means that they are removed only during eating food.  They are usually worn for almost a year. There are many types of retainer. They are discussed below. 
Fixed retainers are mainly installed behind the teeth adjacent to the gum line. These retainers stay there till the late adolescence as long as there are no complications associated with it. The purpose of fixed retainers is to retain the position of incisors. 
Removable retainers clasp on the teeth and keep them straight. Since they are highly durable they can be worn for many years. Clear retainers are aesthetically pleasing than a metal bar which is worn in front of the teeth. For this reason they are quite popular. These retainers are very efficient in closing the spaces between the teeth and they need to be replaced very often than Hawley. 
They are various reminders you need to consider if you are wearing a retainer. At first, if you are involved in sports activities such as swimming or any other combat sports, you must move them to prevent the risk of getting them broken or fall out. Since they are highly fragile, you need to take care of them in a proper manner. 
Bacteria gain quick access to the retainer thereby causing unpleasant smell and infection in the long run. For this reason you need to clean them periodically and on a regular basis. Cleaning them is not considered as a difficult task. It mainly involves using retainer or denture cleaner for soaking them. You can also consider brushing them to remove food debris after each and every meal. If you wear a fixed retainer, brushing and flossing are the best ways to make your teeth and retainer clean and free from debris. On the other hand, if at all you break the retainer by any means, you should not wait till you purchase a new one. This will cause your teeth to move which makes refitting impossible. 
Recasting the retainer is very expensive than a replacement hence it is least preferred. 
All retainers must be checked frequently by your orthodontist. They will assess retainer and check whether it should be tightened or loosened.  The time for observation in the retention phase of the orthodontic treatment is three months in the beginning, then every six months and then yearly. This depends also on various factors including the development of wisdom teeth. 
Wearing dental retainers can be inconvenient for you, but when you think of its benefits, it’s worth wearing it. The results of wearing retainer are quite amazing. By getting your teeth straight you no longer have to feel embarrassed when you are in a crowd. You should not be lazy after removing your retainer off the teeth. It requires good maintenance which involves brushing and flossing at least twice a day.  Doing this will help you to keep your smile confident, straight and brighter. To make sure that everything you have made will be of advantage to you, it will be best if you will also get an orthodontics insurance. This will give you an assurance that you are making the most out of it.