dental retainers
-
Does Every South Houston Braces Patient Need to Use Retainers?
Retainers are an effective way to maintain your new and improved smile after getting South Houston braces. Many patients ask if they’re required to wear retainers after their orthodontic treatment. The answer is yes. Whether the patient is a child or adult, retainers are an essential part to getting your ideal set of teeth.
Why Do I Need Retainers After Braces?
After your South Houston bracesare removed, your teeth have not yet fully set in. Your gums and ligaments that hold your teeth together are still tender for months and even years after braces. This means that your teeth could easily realign and go back to their old position before braces. To prevent your teeth from moving, retainers are a necessity. If you don’t wear retainers, you could lose the beautiful new smile that you waited so long for.
How Long Should I Wear Retainers?
The length of time you should wear your retainers is usually relative to how long you wore South Houston braces for. In other words, patients who wore braces longer may need to wear retainers longer than others with short treatments. Your South Houston dentist will determine how long to wear your retainers. This can last anywhere between 4 months to 2 years—or even more in serious cases.
What Are the Types of Retainers?
There are two types of retainers for your orthodontic treatment. The first type is the permanent or fixed retainer, which is a thin wire installed in the back of your teeth. As the name suggests, this type of retainer cannot be removed by the patient. The other type is a removable retainer made of clear, molded plastic. Your dentist may require you to come in for regular visits to adjust your removable retainer. The advantage of it is that you can take it off when eating and taking pictures,
How to Care for My Retainers?
Since retainers are inside your mouth at all times, bacteria and plaque can build up on them. Retainer care is important for your oral health. Just like brushing your teeth, you must clean your retainers twice a day. Take out your retainers and rinse them with warm water. Use liquid soap and a brush or cloth to clean all the nooks and corners of your retainers before rinsing them. Be careful not to eat anything too hard or sticky when wearing your retainers so that you don’t damage them.
Schedule a Visit for South Houston Braces Today
Looking for a dental clinic where you can get quality South Houston braces treatment? At Centra Dental, we embrace your smiles. Our top-rated dentist performs all vital services, such as teeth cleaning, fillings, and crowns. We have a clean and safe facility where we sanitize all our equipment thoroughly. Surgically clean air circulates our clinic the entire time. Why Centra Dental? We strive to give you the best dental experience possible. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
-
What Happens After You Get Your South Houston Braces Off? Tips on Maintaining Your New Smile
Getting your braces removed after months or even years of sacrifice is an exciting feeling. Finally, your new and improved smile is ready to make its debut. But your orthodontic journey isn’t over just because your South Houston braces are off; aftercare is another important stage. If you want your beautiful set of teeth to maintain its glory, you must stay disciplined and follow your South Houston dentist’s tips. Here are a few things you can do after removal of braces.
Right After Removal
Immediately after your brackets and wires have been removed, your dentist will perform a thorough cleaning to make sure no cement is left. This also ensures that no tartar or cavity develops. During the first few hours after your visit, it’s common to have slightly swollen gums and sensitive teeth. Take it easy on the first few days with the food you eat. Don’t consume hard and sticky food right away, no matter how eager you are. You might also notice discoloration on the spots where your brackets used to be—this is normal. They may fade over time, but if the discoloration still bothers you after 6 months, you can ask your South Houston family dentist about teeth whitening.
Caring for Your Retainers
Once your South Houston braces are removed, your teeth are still prone to movement and repositioning. To prevent a relapse, you’ll need to wear dental retainers. They can either be fixed or removable retainers, depending on your dentist’s recommendation. Some patients may need to wear retainers for less than a year, while some may need to wear it for several years. Being diligent about your retainers ensures that you maintain the corrections done on your teeth. Also remember to clean your retainers daily using soap and water or whatever your dentist instructs.
Establishing Healthy Habits
There’s no doubt that you should maintain good oral hygiene with or without South Houston braces. Remember to brush twice a day and floss at least once a day. Continue visiting your dentist twice a year for a general cleaning. You should also visit your orthodontist regularly to check on your retainers. Also be mindful of pain in your wisdom teeth because they can alter the position of the rest of your teeth.
Schedule a Consultation for South Houston Braces Today!
Need more information on caring for your teeth after getting your South Houston braces removed? At Centra Dental, we embrace your smiles! Feel free to consult with our top-rated dentist. We offer all vital services, such as implants, root canals, fillings, South Houston Invisalign, and more. Our clean and safe facility has surgical-grade air circulating all throughout. Why visit Centra Dental? We strive to make your dental experience as pleasant and stress-free as possible. Ask us about our dental service specials and accepted insurance!
-
Why Do You Need Retainers After South Houston Braces Treatment?
It’s always exciting to get your South Houston braces removed after years of wearing them. The countless trips to your South Houston dentist have finally paid off as you showcase your new and improved smile. However, your treatment isn’t over. Retainers are important to prevent relapse of your old, misaligned teeth. After carefully removing the brackets, wires, and excess cement, your dentist will ask you to wear retainers. So why should you have to endure more months—or even years? Read on to know the importance of dental retainers.
Prevents Shifting of Teeth in Kids and Teens
Many of our patients who come in for South Houston braces are children and teenagers. Compared to adults, their bones have not yet fully set in and they are still developing. This means that their teeth could go back to their original state after getting braces removed. In addition, their wisdom teeth have not yet erupted. Retainers are absolutely necessary so that their teeth do not shift in position.
Sets in Newly Aligned Teeth
Retainers are especially necessary for patients who had issues with spacing corrected. Overcrowding is when there is not enough space in your mouth to align your teeth. On the other hand, too much space can result in gaps in your teeth. If you had such cases treated with South Houston braces, then retainers are a must to maintain newly aligned teeth.
Keeps Corrected Bite in Place
Dental braces are also an effective treatment for underbites and overbites. Extra appliances are used, such as elastics and springs, to correct bite problems. Because your jaws were forcibly moved, they could go back to their original positioning after the braces were removed. To prevent this and keep your new bite in place, you must wear retainers.
How Long Should You Wear Retainers?
Most patients wear their retainers anywhere from 4 months to 2 years—sometimes even more. Your South Houston family dentist will determine how long you should wear retainers. The duration will depend on your age, number of years with braces, and severity of your condition.
Keeping Your Retainers CleanRemember to keep your retainers in a case when you’re not using them, and keep this case accessible to you at all times. You can clean your retainers with a towel or cleaning brush. You may also be directed to soak it in a denture cleaner. Keep your retainers away from extreme heat, pets, and children.
Schedule an Appointment for South Houston Braces Today!
At Centra Dental, we embrace your smiles. We are committed to making your dental experience as stress-free and pleasant as possible. While waiting, you can watch movies and connect to our Wi-Fi while your children play with toys. At our facility, we take hygiene very seriously. We have surgically clean air circulating, and we always sanitize our equipment to ensure the safety of our patients and staff. Ask us about our dental services specials and affordable rates. Visit us today for your concerns with South Houston braces and retainers!