Retainer instructions
Congratulations, you’ve reached a huge milestone in your orthodontic journey!
Finishing treatment is a moment to celebrate, but it’s also the start of the next important phase: retention.
The retention phase begins the day your braces or aligners come off, and it’s what ensures your new smile lasts a lifetime. Up until now, it’s been a team effort between you and our doctors, but from here on out, the success of your smile depends on you. Wearing your retainers as instructed is the only way to keep your teeth from shifting back into their old positions.
Think of retainers as the insurance policy for your smile. Teeth naturally have a tendency to move over time due to aging, growth, and daily habits, but with consistent retainer wear, you can protect the investment you’ve made in your orthodontic treatment.
Retention isn’t just a short-term step; it’s a lifetime commitment. Whether you wear clear removable retainers or have a bonded retainer, keeping up with this phase will help you enjoy your straight, healthy smile for decades to come.
We’ll guide you on how often to wear your retainers, how to care for them, and when to come in for follow-up visits. Remember: you’ve worked hard to get your dream smile — now let’s keep it that way!
There are some instructions you must know in order to keep your teeth from moving:
The upper clear retainer (Essix) is to be worn every night.
Lower removable retainer is to be worn 22 hours a day for the first 6 months after treatment. Your retainer is to only be removed when eating and brushing your teeth. After your 6 month retainer check appointment, the Doctor will determine if at that point you can switch to nighttime wear.
Vivera removable retainer (Invisalign retainer) is to be worn every night.
To clean your bonded retainer, you must use floss threaders and floss underneath. The bonded retainer is able to be removed if needed, however a removable retainer will be needed to replace it.
You should be cleaning your retainers once or twice daily (depending on how much you were told to wear them).
To clean your removable retainers, you can use cold water, a toothbrush and dish soap making sure to rinse them really well after. Using toothpaste overtime can cause scratches in the retainers that may cause them to stain more easily. Soaking retainers in mouthwash is not a good source of cleaning, as mouthwash can stain your retainers.
Always, at the very least rinse your retainers with water before putting them away in your case as saliva dries, it will cause buildup.
Remove retainers before eating or drinking anything but water and before brushing and flossing your teeth.
Removable retainers should be placed in a retainer case when it is not in your mouth. A fun rhyme to help you remember is “If it’s not in your face, it’s in your case”. This is to keep the retainer safe and clean. It prevents loss of the retainer or breaking of the retainer. Please keep your retainer away from dogs and small children.
If a retainer should break, please call our office within a day or so. In most cases a new retainer will need to be made and a replacement fee charged depending on the type of retainer you have.
If a retainer should get lost, please call our office within a day or so. You will need to be evaluated to ensure that there has been no shifting and have a replacement retainer made. There will be a replacement fee for the new retainer, depending on the type of retainer you have.
We ask that you bring your retainers to EVERY appointment you have. We will be checking the fit of them.