Retainer Care

Removable Essix Retainer Care

• Essix retainers should be rinsed it in cold water before and after each use
• Store it safely in the case when not in use
• Avoid overly hot or cold environments or water that could damage it
• Brush and rinse your retainer after each meal, but be sure to use a non-abrasive toothpaste
• Wear your retainer as instructed by your doctor
• Take your retainer out when eating, and always put it back in its case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunchrooms or restaurants and pets love to chew on them.)
• Clean the retainer thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water. Brushing retainers removes the plaque, and eliminates odors.
• Retainers are breakable, so treat yours with care. If your retainer gets lost or broken, call us immediately.
• Always bring your retainer to your appointments.
• Retainer replacements are expensive, but with proper care they will last for years!
• Remove your retainer when you go swimming or when playing sports
• Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins.

Removable Hawley Retainer Care

• If you have any questions or concerns about your retainer, or you believe it needs adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust it yourself.
• Wear Hawley during day and at night while sleeping or as instructed by your doctor
• Remove appliance to eat and while brushing and flossing
• Clean teeth and appliance with a toothbrush and toothpaste after every meal and before bedtime
• If your retainer becomes calcified, soak in Efferdent or Retainer Brite or clear vinegar 
• To avoid breakage of appliance, place in retainer case when not in use
• Do not place the appliance under hot water because the acrylic will melt
• Avoid chewing gum, hard candy, or hard foods
• If the Hawley breaks or becomes uncomfortable, call your doctor.

 

Fixed Lingual Wire Retainer Care

• Brush behind your teeth to keep your fixed retainer clean.
• Take extra care to ensure you brush your teeth around the retainer at an appropriate angle. Be thorough, but not so rough that you risk damaging the wire.
• Use a floss threader and floss in an up-and-down motion when you get the floss under the retainer wire. Your orthodontist will give you detailed instructions on this process.
• Floss between the wire and each tooth that has the permanent retainer attached to it.
• When you see your dentist/hygienist, please ask them to be careful while cleaning your teeth to avoid any breakage.
• Avoid biting into anything hard with your front teeth, as the fixed retainer and/or the adhesive bonding can break. 
• Continue to avoid many of the same foods you shouldn’t eat when wearing braces. Foods that are sticky or very hard can damage a fixed retainer. Also, small, hard pieces like seeds can get lodged between the wire of a fixed retainer and your teeth.
• A fixed retianer is similar to having braces glued on the inside of your teeth so biting into a hard object (like an apple) over the retainer should be avoided
• If your fixed retainer(s) breaks or becomes loose, please call our office ASAP to be evaluated as to whether it needs to be removed, replaced, or repaired.