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Keeping the Teeth Straight after Braces
When you choose to have orthodontic treatment by Dr. Igel, most likely, the primary reason is to straighten the teeth and improve your bite. However, the treatment doesn’t stop when the braces come off. The retainer is just as important for this whole process. Once your braces are removed after your main orthodontic treatment is complete, retainers are used to keep the teeth in place; to keep them from shifting over time. Retainers are simply part of ongoing treatment to keep your smile as healthy and as beautiful as possible.
While braces have repositioned your teeth, both your muscles and the gums are not necessarily used to those new positions. The retainer allows the teeth to “get used” to their new position and is designed with strength and durability. Dr. Igel will inform you on the amount of time you should wear your retainer. This is important to ensure that your teeth don’t shift back to their original position.
Even though your braces have been removed, retainers are still considered part of the orthodontics process. As your retainers are molded and fit just for your mouth, you will need to visit Dr. Igel over the next 12 months on average. Patients will continue to wear their retainers long after their visits with Dr. Igel stop because they want to ensure that their teeth remain straight. Dr. Igel believes that all of his patients should continue wearing their retainers for as long as they want straight teeth. Click here for retainer guidelines from Igel Orthodontics.
Taking care of a retainer is fairly simple. It is removable and should be removed when you are eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth. You should always make sure to keep the retainer clean and keep it secure in the retainer case to avoid losing it or damaging it.
If a straight smile is something you have always wanted and now you have it, make sure you use your retainer to maintain that smile. For more information, contact Igel Orthodontics at 402-330-1152.