If you are coming to the end of wearing your braces, you are probably looking forward to running your tongue along your smooth, straight teeth and enjoying flashing your pearly whites to the world for the first time. While orthodontic treatment today is smooth, efficient, and subtle, it is still a nice feeling to be without braces once again. However, the removal of your braces is not quite the end of your orthodontic treatment. In order to maintain your healthy straight teeth and prevent your teeth from moving back after the removal, you’ll need a retainer. Let’s take a look at the options for your post-brace treatment.

Clear retainers
The majority of our patients wear clear retainers after their braces have been removed. They are created usingadvanced technology to create a 3D impression of your teeth that slot in place, hugging each tooth perfectly with an invisible clear material. They are easy to clean, subtle, long-lasting, and an effective way to keep teeth in place.

Most patients at iSmile Orthodontics will be required to wear a clear retainer at night for up to 12 hours for the first year after braces treatment. After that you will slowly wean down the time worn to every second or third night until you are just wearing them once a week at night as a lifelong treatment. It is important you keep this up as your teeth can move back, years after the end of your treatment, if the retainer is not regularly worn.

Cleaning clear retainers involves a gentle brushing with water and a very mild dish soap or baking soda, but not toothpaste. You should also soak it in water every once in a while. We recommend you pop into iSmile Orthodontics for regular checkups to make sure your clear retainer is still in good shape.

Fixed Retainer
A fixed retainer is a small piece of wire attached to the back of your teeth, either at the top or the bottom, or both and are affixed across 4-6 teeth. A fixed retainer is usually recommended for those whose teeth problems are related to their front teeth. These problems are usually to do with natural gaps or protruding teeth that will likely shift back to their original position without anything in place.

While a fixed retainer is bonded to your teeth and irremovable, it is also invisible, even to you once you are used to it. Fixed retainers can be cleaned with a simple toothbrushing like the rest of your teeth. However, you are unable to floss around the teeth with the wire, so you’ll need to visit your dentistfor a dental clean on a regular basis to remove any built up plaque or rogue pieces of food. But once your fixed retainer is in place, there is no more upkeep for the rest of your life! This is a popular choice for adults and children alike at iSmile Orthodontics.