Offering the latest in retainers and retention treatment in San Diego!
Here at The Super Dentists in San Diego, California, we are always excited for our patients who have finished their treatment and are finally having their braces removed. However, after the braces come off, retainers must be worn routinely in order to keep your teeth in their proper new positions. Your teeth will always try to return back "home" to their original places, so it's very important to keep up your retainer wear. In order to maintain your new perfect smile and the new alignment of your teeth, we use Hawley Retainers, Fixed Retainers and Clear Retainers.
Hawley Retainers
The most common type of retainer, the Hawley retainer is a removable retainer made of metal wires and sturdy acrylic. Hawley retainers are designed to maintain the width of the upper arch and are specially made from impressions of the teeth, providing a snug and comfortable fit in the roof of your mouth. The advantage of using this type of retainer is that it can be adjusted to finish your treatment plan and continue with moving your teeth as our Dr. Kami Hoss sees fit. The acrylic can be personalized with color, and our practice offers an array of fun colors and patterns for you to choose from!
Fixed Retainers
Bonded lingual retainers, or fixed retainers, are cemented directly to the inside surface of your upper and lower front six teeth. This is one of the best ways to prevent your teeth from shifting as it is permanently attached! Patients with bonded lingual retainers must be careful with their bite as the bonding material may break due to incorrect biting and cause teeth to shift quickly. When brushing, make sure to carefully clean behind of your lower teeth as well as the wire.
Invisible Retainer
The invisible retainer is a transparent removable retainer that fits over the entire arch of teeth. Clear retainers cover the teeth entirely, and do not use any metal clasps or metal bows. Designed with cosmetics in mind, these retainers are lightweight, a bit flexible, very comfortable and virtually invisible.
Dr. Kami Hoss and our team of professionals want your smile to last you a lifetime, and they suggest following these simple guidelines to help make sure that happens.
Retainer Wear
- Wear your retainer full time, even during meals and when sleeping, unless otherwise instructed.
- Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading or singing out loud to get used to them faster. Your speech will normalize in a few days with the retainer in place.
- Remove retainers when swimming.
Care
Clean your retainer thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use warm, but not hot, water. Brushing your retainer will remove the plaque and eliminate odors. Efferdent or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used, but should not take the place of brushing.- When retainers are not in your mouth, they should always be in a retainer case. Most appliances are lost in school lunchrooms or restaurants, and pets love to chew on them!
- Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, washing machines and napkins. Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care.
The Super Dentists offers comprehensive orthodontic cares using Incognito braces, Clear Braces, Invisalign, In-Ovation C braces and Wild Smiles to patients throughout San Diego County. If you have any questions about retainers or if yours needs adjusting, please contact one of our Chula Vista, Oceanside or Eastlake locations today.