Upper Removable Retainer

 

On the day you have your braces removed, you begin an important phase of your orthodontic treatment... RETENTION. Over the past months, your teeth have moved a considerable distance and are not yet firm. Your orthodontic retainers have been carefully designed to hold your teeth in their new positions until they are stable. The retention period lasts about 2 years and should really be maintained indefinitely. This period is an essential part of your treatment.

Your upper retainer is a removable appliance designed to maintain your teeth in their corrected positions. Follow these instructions carefully.

• The upper retainer should be worn 24 hours a day for the first three months (except during meals and brushing) unless otherwise instructed.
  
  
• Later...you may wear your retainer at night only.
  
  
• The retainer's plastic taste will disappear quickly, and your speech will return to normal after a few days of wearing the retainer.
  
  
• Because retainers have fragile structures, it is necessary to be delicate when placing, removing or handling them. Please avoid flipping the retainer with your tongue. This could damage your tooth enamel or break the retainer.
  
  
• Your teeth need time to adjust to the retainer and therefore your mouth may become sore. However, the soreness will disappear in three or four days.
  
  
• Remove the retainer by pulling down on the clasp around the back tooth. Don’t pull down on the wire across the front. This will break the wire.
  
  
• Clean the retainer by brushing it with toothpaste and occasionally with denture cleaner, using warm (not hot) water. If you don't, a hard deposit will accumulate on its surface and irritate your gums.
  
  
• Avoid soaking your retainer in mouthwash, which will cause the retainer to become discolored and brittle.
  
  
• Also, avoid storing them near any source of heat. Please DO NOT boil your retainer.
  
  
• When it's not in your mouth, keep the retainer in the special case given to you (not in your pocket or wrapped in paper--someone will surely mistake it for trash and throw it away.) The plastic retainer box will protect it from accidental damage, or breakage under excessive pressure.
  
  
• Pets love retainers so make sure you keep them out of their reach.
  
  
• Please bring your retainer to each appointment.

Additional charges: Remember your first set of retainers have been paid for in the original fee. However, there will be an additional charge of $200 to replace and $75 charge to repair lost or damaged retainers. So please be very careful with them!