Think about how many times per day you rely on your teeth. You use them to chew breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. You press your tongue against them to make certain sounds when you speak. There's really no doubt about it — your teeth are important, and they deserve your respect. You can pay them that respect by visiting your dentist for regular cleaning and checkup appointments. You should also call at the first sign of dental pain, tooth discoloration, or other oral health changes. Read more about dentists and dentistry here on this blog, where we dive deep into related topics.
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Many people tend to believe that their orthodontic treatment is over when they get their braces off. However, once the braces come off, retainers need to be used in order to ensure that your teeth remain straight and beautiful. There are two different types of orthodontic retainers: fixed and removable. A fixed retainer is a thin piece of wire that is attached to the teeth, usually the bottom teeth, and holds the teeth in the proper alignment for a long duration of time. A removable retainer consists of a wire that goes across the front of the teeth and is attached an acrylic plate that slides in and out of your mouth. So why are these so important? Read on to find out.
Your Bite Requires Stabilization
Once your braces are taken off, the soft tissues and bone will require a bit of time to adjust to the changes that have been made to the position of the teeth. The retainers assist in stabilizing your teeth in a brand-new arrangement while ensuring that the shifting of your teeth is very minimal. Your orthodontist will let you know how many hours a day you should wear your retainer immediately after getting your braces taken off, but eventually, you will only need to wear the removable retainer at night.
You Need the Proper Spacing for Eruption of Wisdom Teeth
Preteens and teens are most commonly the ones to undergo orthodontic treatment. Their bodies are still developing, and because of this, they are using the retainers at the time that their wisdom teeth will come in. If the retainers are being used as instructed, they will maintain the proper spacing in their mouths for the wisdom teeth, which ensures that the other teeth do not become crowded or shift as a result of insufficient space.
Teeth Need to Be Held in Their New Positions
If you underwent orthodontic treatment in order to bridge a gap in your teeth, repair an underbite or overbite, or fix severely misaligned teeth, then it can take some time for the teeth to stabilize. Because of this, it is imperative that the retainers are used to hold the teeth in place after the dental braces are taken off of the teeth. Without retainers, the teeth will end up moving back to their original positions before the braces were placed on the teeth.
For more information about dental braces and orthodontic treatment, contact an orthodontist in your local area to set up an appointment.
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