Caring For Your Retainer After Braces
You worked hard for a result that should last you a lifetime. When we think about it, your oral health and smile are probably the most valuable asset we all have. The functionality of our bite and tooth alignment is far beyond the importance of a great smile. Our oral health can be considered the gateway to our overall well being. However, in today’s world an aesthetic smile that displays not only beautiful hygiene but perfect teeth and a flawless smile has an additional value too. It is something that is literally priceless. It effects include boosting our self confidence in many ways including getting the job or position we want… and many other day to day activities we may never realize until we have to do them.
So, after making probably the best investment for the least cost possible in ourselves… our retainer is something that is actually very easy to care for.
Wearing our retainer for the times prescribed will be one of the most effective ways to protect our alignment throughout our entire life.
There are a few tips for our caring of the retainer itself. Most patients are prescribed to only wear their retainers at night while sleeping. That means it has to be left somewhere while not in use. Keeping it safe in it’s protective box when it is not in use is an excellent habit to follow. For one thing it protects the appliance which is very sturdy while in your mouth but vulnerable to be bent or broken if it’s knocked on the bathroom or bedroom floor… and then stepped on by accident. Ouch, they require extremely precision work to make so that means they cost several hundred dollars to replace. If we keep them in their protective box when not in use, they are very unlikely to ever be damaged. It makes them easy to find and can help keep them sanitary.