Retainer Care Guide
Why Are Retainers So Important?
After braces come off, your teeth want to shift back to their original positions. This is completely normal! Retainers hold your teeth in their new, beautiful alignment while the surrounding bone and tissue stabilize.
Think of retainers like maintaining a healthy diet after losing weight. You’ve worked hard for your new smile – retainers ensure you keep it for life!
Remember: Retainer wear is not optional if you want to maintain your results. The most common orthodontic regret is not wearing retainers as prescribed.
Types of Retainers
We’ll recommend the best retainer type for your needs
Hawley Retainers
Benefits:
Care: Clean daily with toothbrush and mild soap, soak weekly
Clear Retainers
Benefits:
Fixed Retainers
Benefits:
Retainer Wear Schedule
Immediately After Braces
Duration:
First 3-6 months
Schedule:
Full-time (22-24 hours per day)
Clean daily with toothbrush and mild soap, soak weekly
Transition Phase
Duration:
Schedule:
Long-Term Retention
Duration:
Schedule:
Types of Retainers
We’ll recommend the best retainer type for your needs
Daily Cleaning
Daily Cleaning
Storage
Types of Retainers
We’ll recommend the best retainer type for your needs
Do’s
Don’ts
Lost or Broken Retainer?
Don’t panic, but don’t delay! Call our office immediately. Even a few days without wearing your retainer can cause teeth to shift. We’ll schedule an appointment to take new impressions and create a replacement retainer as quickly as possible.
Replacement retainers incur an additional fee, which is why it’s so important to care for them properly and always store them in their case!