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As you approach the end of your Houston braces treatment, whether you’ve been wearing metal Houston braces, ceramic dental braces, or Invisalign, we’ll have a conversation about how to maintain your new smile with a retainer. There are different types of orthodontic retainers and we’ve previously talked about traditional removable retainers known as Hawley retainers. This time, we’ll discuss the less common bonded retainers.

What Are Bonded Retainers

Bonded retainers are permanent retainers made of wire that is shaped to fit the new alignment of your teeth. Similar to metal or ceramic Houston braces, they are cemented to your teeth with a dental-grade glue, except instead of being on the front of your teeth, these retainers are glued behind your teeth. Many family dentists or orthodontists around the country tend to bond them behind your lower teeth only, and they can only be removed by a dentist or orthodontist. 

Although rare, our South Houston dentist will only recommend a bonded retainer following Houston braces treatment if the patient won’t follow our guidelines on how to properly wear a removable retainer.

Pros and Cons of Wearing Permanent Bonded Retainers After Houston Braces Treatment

Much like how ceramic braces, metal dental braces, and Houston Invisalign Clear Aligners each has positives and negatives, retainers do as well.

Pros of Bonded Retainers

• Bonded retainers are a worry-free method for keeping your teeth straight because you don’t have to abide by a certain schedule, which means you don’t run the risk of making your teeth crooked or separate again.
• No one can tell you’re wearing a permanent retainer, so there is no need to feel self-conscious about it
• Wearing a permanent retainer doesn’t affect your speech, which is common with other types of retainers.

Cons of Wearing Permanent Retainers

• Flossing is harder when wearing a bonded retainer because it gets in the way of the string. This causes plaque build-up and possibly gum disease
• The metal might irritate your tongue or gums

Our South Houston Family Dentist Will Determine if a Bonded Retainer is Right For You

As you or your child near the end of Houston braces treatment, please book an appointment with our South Houston dentist so we can take your needs into account, decide if a permanent retainer is a good idea for your particular case, and have your retainers made. We look forward to giving you a smile you can enjoy for the rest of your life.

You’re approaching the end of your Houston braces treatment and whether you’re wearing Invisalign Clear Aligners, metal Houston braces, or ceramic dental braces, you are going to need to wear retainers after your treatment. You may wear them with reluctance, but you must wear your retainers in order to protect your investment in South Houston braces and keep your teeth straight. However, there are different types of orthodontic retainers that will meet different needs. In this blog post, we will discuss traditional retainers, otherwise known as Hawley retainers. 

What Are Hawley Retainers

Hawley retainers are also referred to as removable retainers or wire retainers. They are made of two parts and two components–the acrylic plastic and the metal wire components. The acrylic plastic is shaped to fit the roof up your mouth and behind your lower teeth. The wire component runs across your teeth. Together, these retainers hold your teeth in place while your teeth settle in the soft tissues of your mouth. How long you wear it will depend on your particular case, but our South Houston family dentist will recommend what works best for you.

Pros and Cons of Wearing Hawley Retainers

As with our Houston braces, there are pros and cons associated with each option.

Pros of Removable Retainers

• Hawley retainers can be adjusted in case you need a better fit or if your teeth need a slight touch up in their alignment. 
• Much like the wire that is placed across your Houston braces may break sometimes, Hawley retainers may break on a rare occasion as well, but the good news is that they are easily reparable. 
• Both rows of your teeth will touch naturally, which makes this option a more comfortable one. 

Cons of Removable Wire Retainers

• Because these retainers feel slightly bulky, your speech may sound off when wearing them.
• The way the wire is laid across your teeth makes it rather noticeable when you speak
• The wire may irritate your lips or cheeks when you first wear a removable retainer after your Houston braces treatment.

Our South Houston Family Dentist Will Determine Whether Traditional Removable Retainers Are Suitable For You

As you near the end of your Houston braces treatment, our South Houston family dentist will take impressions of your teeth so our lab can make your retainers. If we determine that Hawley retainers will work best for you, we will provide you with wearing guidelines. Please book an appointment with us for your next dental check-up so we can make the appropriate recommendation.

We recently discussed when we recommend ceramic dental braces, but Invisalign is a more popular alternative that we offer. Here is how Invisalign compares to metal Houston braces and ceramic Houston braces.

What is it Like to Wear Invisalign Clear Aligners?

First of all, Invisalign Clear Aligners are made with a flexible plastic that is molded to your teeth in a way that gently and gradually pushes them into the correct alignment. Clear Aligners are transparent, so they go fairly unnoticed. They are also removable, which is one of their greatest benefits.

When Do Our South Houston Family Dentists Recommend Invisalign Clear Aligners?

We will take a few factors into consideration when determining whether Invisalign is right for a patient. Among these considerations are:

How Severe is Your Malocclusion?

We typically recommend Invisalign treatment if your malocclusion isn’t too severe or problematic. That isn’t to say that Invisalign cannot correct severe misalignment, but it will just take much longer. If your malocclusion is a lighter one, though, Invisalign treatment can take as little as a year.

When it comes to the severity of your malocclusion, we often recommend metal dental braces to our patients who need very complex corrections. As for ceramic braces, these are suitable for mild-moderate cases.

Discipline

Although Invisalign seems to be full of benefits, there are some factors that should be taken into consideration. Discipline is mandatory if you’re wearing Clear Aligners.

Just because Invisalign is removable, does not mean you should go long without wearing it. We tell our patients to wear their aligners for 22-24 hours a day, which means you need to take extra care not to lose, misplace your aligner trays, or forget them.

Hygiene

As with any type of Houston braces treatment, you must make sure to thoroughly brush your teeth after every meal and snack. This ensures no bits of food are left in between your teeth, which would get in the way of the aligners doing their job and would also make you more prone to cavities. 

Centra Dental South Houston Family Dentist Offers Affordable Invisalign Houston Braces Treatment

If you would like to correct the alignment of your teeth and think that Invisalign may be suitable for you, then please book an appointment. We will conduct a thorough evaluation and discuss your needs so that we can develop the best custom Houston braces treatment for you.

Are you, or your child, the type of person who is excited about getting Houston braces and is looking forward to a brand new smile that can be worn confidently? Perhaps you or your child are worried about whether Houston braces treatment will be painful, especially if either of you has heard horror stories or believes some common myths. In this article, we will address some more myths about dental braces and explain the facts so you can feel more confident before you begin your South Houston braces treatment. 

Myth #1: If Houston Braces Move My Teeth, They Must Hurt

We aren’t surprised that this myth is still commonly shared today, since the idea of metal pushing your teeth sounds like it would hurt. However, today braces are far thinner and lighter in weight than they used to be, which has greatly minimized discomfort over the years. Now, regardless of if you choose Invisalign Clear Aligners, ceramic dental braces, or metal dental braces, there will be some minor soreness when you first get them since your teeth aren’t used to them. This will only be temporary though and shouldn’t be intolerable. If it comes down to it, this discomfort is nothing that icing and possibly over-the-counter painkillers can’t alleviate.

After a few days, you will adjust and feel just fine.

Myth #2: After Houston Braces, Your Teeth Will Be Straight For the Rest of Your Life

Although braces do straighten your teeth, all that hard work can be reversed if you don’t follow our recommendations for caring for and maintaining your new smile. This is where retainers come in. Retainers are an orthodontic appliance that must be worn after you finish your Houston braces treatment. We typically tell our patients to wear them all day and all night–except when they’re eating–for at least a year. Afterward, we recommend wearing them every night. This ensures your teeth remain straight and don’t easily become misaligned again.

Myth #3: You Have to Give Up a Lot of Your Favorite Foods When Wearing Dental Braces or Invisalign Clear Aligners

We do recommend you avoid sugary, sticky foods and drinks, as well as crunchy snacks, as this will minimize your risk of cavities and your risk of breaking your braces. Otherwise, you can eat as you normally would, but definitely take smaller bites of your food.

Ready for Houston Braces? Schedule a Consultation With Our South Houston Family Dentist

If you think it’s time for you or your child to begin South Houston braces treatment, then please book an appointment with us so we can begin with a consultation to develop the appropriate treatment plan.