While braces straighten your teeth, dental retainers are essential to ensure that the results last long. The risk of relapse is very high in the first month after braces are removed. Therefore, a retainer is used to keep your teeth aligned even after the removal of braces. A retainer is a plastic or metal appliance that needs to be worn daily to maintain the alignment of your teeth. If you do not religiously use retainers, your teeth will move back to their original position, and you will need to wear braces again in order to correct the misalignment. Let’s have a look at the importance of retainers after braces:
1. Prevents The Chance of Misalignment
After the removal of the braces, your bone surrounding the teeth need time to adapt to their new position.They are more prone to shifting back to their original position if not controlled. Retainers help to maintain your teeth in alignment. With retainers, the chance of shifting of the teeth is minimal. It is better to wear retainers for lifetime after braces are removed to prevent the issue of misalignment.
2. Maintains Space for Wisdom Teeth and New Teeth
Many pre-teens use retainers around the time when their wisdom teeth erupt. This is because their teeth and bones are still developing when they get braces. Once braces are removed, the chance of misalignment still exists, when a primary tooth falls or wisdom tooth erupts. Retainers help to maintain the necessary space in the jaw to accommodate new teeth and wisdom teeth. Use of retainers after braces ensure that your teeth don’t shift and lead to crowding due to lack of space.
3. Prevents Treatment Reversal
Your teeth may start moving back to their old position after the removal of braces. If this happens, you may have to undergo the braces treatment again. However, you can prevent this reversal if you wear a retainer after braces. Depending on the nature of your case, your dentist may ask you to wear a retainer for couple of years or lifetime.
The success of the orthodontic treatment highly depends on how religiously you use your retainers. You should follow instructions carefully regarding wearing, cleaning, and storing your retainer. For further information on the importance of retainers after braces, you can consult the dentists at Signature Smilez.