Do you worry about breaking your retainer? Worse, did you just recently break or lose your retainer? See what to do should your retainer break here.
Following your teeth-straightening procedure, you might choose either fixed or removable retainers. Improper care and mishaps over time might cause your fixed retainer to come free from your teeth or your detachable retainer to break.
The Value of Wearing Your Retainers
After you finish your teeth-straightening treatment, you should regularly wear your retainers. Your mouth requires time to adjust to the new positions once your teeth are properly aligned. You have to make sure not to overlook your retainers once your clear aligner therapy ends or your braces are removed.
Procedures to Follow Should You Accidentally Break Your Retainer
Should you unintentionally break your removable retainer or find that your permanent retainer breaks free of your teeth, you will have to act to prevent your teeth from beginning to move back to their natural positions.
One call to our orthodontic office
Once you know you have cracked or damaged your retainer, you should immediately call our orthodontic office, particularly if you recently finished your teeth straightening procedure. Ignoring your retainer for the required length of time will lead to your teeth beginning to move.
Review Your Removable Retainer
Your ability to use your detachable retainer in a restricted form may depend on the degree of cracking on it. Should the retainer be severely fractured or split in half, you will have to wait until your next retainer is produced, as you will be unable to wear it.
Have a family member look over your permanent retainer
Have a family member look at your permanent retainer under a flashlight if you believe it has fallen loose. Bonded to the backs of your teeth, permanent retainers stop movement. Eating a hard piece of food or sugar might weaken or totally break the bond. Should the family member find the retainer to be loose, you will have to eat soft foods to prevent further damage until you visit your orthodontist.
Should your permanent retainer break, think about a removable retainer
Hidden behind your teeth, permanent retainers help to maintain the teeth in place for years following the initial teeth straightening treatment. You might choose to change to a removable retainer, though, if your permanent retainer keeps coming free or separating from your teeth. Usually, you only need to wear a detachable retainer while you sleep; it allows you to remove it whenever you like.
Selecting Between a Removable and a Permanent Retainer
Our dentist in Yakima, WA can assist you in deciding which permanent or removable retainer would be ideal for you if you are unsure. Wearing your retainers at night permanently will help you lower your risk of tooth shifting or movement. Generally speaking, save in very particular situations, we do not advise permanent retainers for people due to hygienic issues. A removable retainer might also be preferable if you worry about breaking your permanent retainer.
