What happens after you’re done with orthodontic treatment? – orthodontist Brooklyn and Staten Island
What happens after you’re done with orthodontic treatment? – orthodontist Brooklyn and Staten Island
If you’re in the midst of orthodontic treatment, you probably think often about what it will feel like after you’re finished with your treatment. You might imagine looking in the mirror at your perfect smile, enjoying the results of all of the time and effort you’ve put into maintaining your oral hygiene during treatment.
Have you thought about what will be needed to maintain that perfect smile? This is a question that many patients start to think about as they approach the end of their treatment time.
At the end of treatment with braces
Whether you’ve had metal braces, clear braces, or lingual braces, you’ll need some form of a retainer after the braces are removed. There are several different types of retainers.
Some people choose a permanent retainer, which is a wire that’s permanently affixed to the back of your teeth. The biggest advantage is that you don’t have to think about wearing it, or worry about losing it. With teens, particularly, this can be a huge advantage. However, it can be difficult to clean around a permanent retainer. You’ll need to continue to use a floss threader to floss around it, much like you had to with braces. Some people also find that the permanent retainer bothers their tongue and creates discomfort.
Another option is an Essix retainer, which is made of clear plastic and looks very similar to the clear aligners of Invisalign and other similar systems. Many people prefer this type of retainer because it’s invisible, so it allows you to enjoy that perfect smile that you spent so long to create. It can also be removed in order to brush and floss your teeth, making good oral hygiene easier. However, this type of retainer does prevent the teeth from touching each other, and it can also trap fluids and bacteria next to your teeth instead of allowing saliva to circulate around and clean the teeth. In addition, the retainer itself can be hard to clean, and it tends to wear out and need to be replaced after a few years.
The final type of retainer is called a Hawley retainer. This is made of clear plastic and metal. The metal wires fit around the outside of the teeth. The biggest disadvantage of a Hawley retainer is that it’s visible, and most people would like to enjoy their smile without anything in the way after they spent so long wearing braces. A Hawley retainer can also interfere with speech, making it even more noticeable. However, a Hawley retainer is very durable and long-lasting. It’s also adjustable, so your orthodontist can make slight changes to your smile after your braces come off, and it’s easy to keep the retainer clean.
At the end of treatment with clear aligners
For those whose orthodontic treatment involves clear aligners (such as Invisalign, ClearCorrect, or Simpli5), the system for maintaining the results after treatment is finished is much simpler. The final retainer is similar to the final clear aligner. However, the clear aligner itself should not be used as a retainer, because the aligners are not designed for long-term use and will not hold up well over a period of months. A clear retainer is made of sturdier materials. You may need to get a new clear retainer periodically. You should wear the retainer full-time for the first month or so, and then you can switch to wearing it only at night.
Think about your perfect smile
Although it’s very important to maintain the results of your treatment, it’s also a great idea to focus on the positive benefits that you’ll get from your treatment. This will help you to stay diligent about your treatment plan (for instance, wearing your clear aligners at least 22 hours every day) and your oral hygiene. You’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of that beautiful smile for years to come.