Why Retainers?
You might think your journey to a beautiful smile and a properly aligned bite is complete the moment you get your braces off, and you’d be mostly right. However, it’s a vital period to ensure you wear your retainer and follow the recommendations of your dental professional (including whether to wear it at night, during the day, or both!).
Retainers are helpful orthodontic appliances and custom mouthpieces that stabilize your teeth’s position. Keep in mind that it’s normal for your bite to have an adjustment period just after removing your appliance.
Retainers help prevent your teeth from shifting position after your orthodontic appliance (like braces) has been removed. Your teeth will naturally adjust from the forces applied to them from a normal daily activity like chewing – a retainer helps prevent this from occurring. Your teeth continue to shift slightly throughout your life.
Think of retainers as a valuable and effective way to protect the investment of time and money you’ve made wearing an orthodontic appliance. They ensure that your teeth stay properly positioned while new tissue and bone grow to secure them in place.