M. Gabrielle Thodas, D.D.S., M.S.D.
Practice Limited To Orthodontics
150 Arch Street, Redwood City, CA 94062 650-368-8348

RETAINERS

Congratulations! If you are reading this your braces have been removed and you are now wearing retainers. We want to explain about retainers and retainer wear so you can understand how important this phase of your orthodontic treatment is.

Research has shown that the first month is when you teeth are the least stable and the most prone to movement. PLEASE wear your retainers as we have instructed until your next appointment.

The most frequently asked question is, “How long do I have to wear my retainers?” The answer is simple – for as long as you want your teeth to remain straight. This can mean different wearing times for different people. We know that part of the aging process is that teeth will move forward over time. Like grey hair and wrinkles – people age differently. We also know that certain stages in your life tend to be the times that teeth will shift more. This is a similar phenomenon to male pattern baldness. Generally these stages occur in the late teens and early 20’s and again in the mid 30’s. Also the upper teeth tend to be more stable than the lower front teeth.

Below are guidelines for the different types of retainers:

  • Hawley retainer – wear full time for the first 6 months, then 12 months of nighttime only wear. After one year wear can be limited to individual requirements – every other night, once a week, etc.
  • Invisible retainer – wear full time for the first 6 weeks then nights only for 12 months. After 12 months wear can be limited to individual requirements – every other night, once a week, etc.
  • Lower fixed retainer – this is the wire bonded to the tongue side of the lower front 6 teeth. This can stay in your mouth for as long as you want. If you do have it removed sometime in the future, be sure to get a removable retainer to avoid any movement.
  • We will be observing you in your retention phase for 1 year then as needed. During this time, together with you, we need to determine what your individual retention requirements are.

We’ll be seeing you in a few weeks to see how you and your retainers are getting along. If you have any questions or problems before your next appointment, please call us at 368-8348.