Your braces may be off and your smile may be beautiful, but… you’re not finished yet! Retainers are a critical phase of orthodontic treatment. The success or failure of your case depends upon strict compliance when it comes to wearing these appliances.

Removable Retainer Instructions

• Wear your retainers full time, until the doctor instructs otherwise.
• Take your retainers out when eating and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
• Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water. Brushing retainers removes the plaque, and eliminates odors. Efferdent or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used, but do not take the place of brushing.
• When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case. Pets love to chew on them!
• Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to them faster.
• Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken call us immediately.
• If you have any questions or concerns about your retainers, or your retainers need adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust them yourself.
• Always bring your retainers to your appointments.
• Retainer replacement is expensive...with proper care they will last for years!
• Remove retainers when swimming.
• Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins.

Bonded Retainer Instructions

• Care must be taken to try and avoid breaking the bonded retainer by watching what you bite into with your front teeth. Please do not bite into anything hard or chewy.
• Each tooth is attached to the wire with a small pad of white bonding material. Please inspect these bonds several times a week and call us immediately if one is missing or has come unattached from a tooth. Once a tooth comes unbonded it is free to move and often will do so. If this occurs the bonded retainer will have to be removed and remade.
• Please make sure and brush around the bonded retainer thoroughly twice a day removing all visible plaque. Instructions will be given at our clinic.
• Please understand: it is the patient's responsibility to care for the bonded retainer by being careful what you eat, to inspect it regularly for loose bonds, to call immediately if there are problems and to keep it clean.