Why Cleaning And Caring For A Retainer Is Important

It is a privilege as well as an obligation to wear a retainer. It is for the reasons that come from enhanced oral health that will be realized once you upkeep your teeth straight from the braces. On the same note, it is also a responsibility to monitor the cleanliness and maintenance of the building at all times.

It is an important phase of your orthodontic treatment. A lot of effort and dedication is invested to get the perfect and healthy-looking smile that you ever wished for. You don’t want the work you have done to go to waste! There are a few things that you can do to ensure that your alignment remains intact, and one of them is to wear your retainer and follow the tips suggested by Devine Dentist TX on how to take care of it.

What is a retainer?

When you are going through orthodontics, where an effort is made to rearrange your teeth, you are remodeling your jaw by breaking down and rebuilding bone. With this, there appears to be the breaking of bone so that the teeth may shift and take the position it is to hold through the rebuilding.

When the braces have been removed, your orthodontist will provide you with a retainer that you will need to use. A retainer is a detachable dental appliance used to maintain the alignment of the teeth while the bones and gums adapt themselves to the teeth. The most important thing is to always wear your retainer as instructed; if otherwise, your teeth return to the previous state of alignment, and your treatment length is elongated.

The duration of using a retainer may vary but most people take 24 hours in the first few months and then at night only for the rest of their lifetime. Of course, you may be happy not to have your braces anymore, but you have to wear your retainer so that your smile remains as beautiful as the day your braces were removed.

How to clean your retainer?

The method you need to use to clean a retainer will vary depending on the type of retainer you possess. So here is a step-by-step consideration of our most effective guides for cleaning each type of retainer:

Fixed retainer

A fixed retainer is a wire that is cemented onto your teeth using a non-toxic dental cement only and is fixed. These wires are usually to be fixed at the back of the teeth in such a way that they cannot be seen by other people, but they assist in giving the bite the appropriate shape.

This cleaning begins with the basic procedure of brushing your teeth at least two times a day. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush, one should make a circular motion while focusing on the wire and bonding areas where a lot of debris can pile up, thereby forming plaque and bacteria. After brushing, it is also advisable to floss all of your teeth at least once a day even if you have a fixed retainer. To clean around the wire at the back of the mouth, you use a floss threader like the one used while having braces.

Essix retainer

An Essix retainer is as useful as the Invisalign retainers since they are utilized comparably. They are perfectly constructed out of clear plastic to fit directly over the whites of your teeth. Essix retainer’s cleaning and maintenance is as close to Hawley retainer as possible with a major difference in the inside of the mold which has difficult ridges to clean.

Ensure that you clean your Essix retainers gently using a soft brush, preferably a toothbrush, with alcohol-free mouthwash or hand soap like the Hawley retainer. If a buildup occurs, you can use a denture solution or any solution that is specifically designed for retainers when necessary.

Hawley retainer

The Hawley retainer was acrylic and metal with a base that sat in the roof or bottom of the mouth and wires fitting around the teeth. These are the basic types of retainers and are slowly being replaced by newer ones as time goes by. The proper way of taking care of your Hawley retainer is to clean it with warm water as soon as you remove it. Remember: do not ever use hot water on your retainer since this may distort the material used and weaken it.

When washing, you should use a toothbrush that is solely used when cleaning the retainer and wash the retainer with either rubbing alcohol, mouthwash, or hand soap. The objective is to eliminate bacteria and weaken them, ensuring they do not harm the retainer. The only thing to remember here is that when you are using the retainer, it needs to be rinsed with water very well to get rid of excess soap. Another reminder: do not try to clean your retainer with toothpaste, that is a big no! The tiny grains on the toothpaste, although perfect for cleaning our teeth, can cause considerable harm to your retainer.

Additional Tip

It’s very natural to detect white build-up on your retainer, which can be caused by calcium and other minerals in your saliva or by plaque. If so, you can use a denture solution such as Polident to soak your Hawley retainer and then give it a final short scrub with your toothbrush to remove any remaining dirt.

During the shift into the retention period, there may be confusion and frustration. We are committed to educating our patients so they may make educated decisions and comprehend the reasons behind the instructions or prescriptions we provide.

Summing It Up

Although retainers may always evolve, wearing and caring for your retainer will help it stay in place for the longest time. Contact us at Devine Dental TX to chat with a committed and hospitable team member if you have any questions.