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After treatment
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After orthodontic treatment

You’ve nearly completed your journey! How you can help yourself to a better smile.

Congratulations on reaching the end of your orthodontic treatment and achieving the straight teeth you always wanted. It is important that all your hard work is not undone now, so you must wear your retainers all the time, apart from when eating, drinking and brushing, or as advised by your orthodontist.

Keeping your teeth straight once your braces are removed is extremely important

Types of retainers

Removable

These are worn full time to begin with and there are no exceptions to these instructions, unless your orthodontist specifically tells you otherwise.

If the retainer is lost, breaks or does not fit properly, you must contact us immediately to prevent unwanted movement of your teeth, which cannot be reversed. Whenever you remove your retainers, such as when you are eating or playing sports, or on instruction by the orthodontist, you must store them safely in their protective box.

Do not get into the habit of clicking the retainer in and out with your tongue as this can cause it to break. Clean your retainers using a toothbrush and cold water, or use cleansing tablets.

Fixed

These are small wires fixed to the back of the teeth and are sometimes used if teeth were rotated at the beginning of your treatment. It is possible for a fixed retainer to become unstuck and if this happens you must call us immediately for an urgent appointment so that we can repair the retainer before the teeth start to move.

What do I do if my retainer breaks or I lose it?

Call up your myorthodontist practice and make an appointment as soon as you can. Don’t wait until your next appointment, as your teeth may move whilst you are unable to wear your retainer. You may be charged a fee for repair or replacement.

Please call us if you have any problems with your retainers.