happy + healthy that smile !
Do I REALLY Have to Wear My Retainer ?
We ’ ve all seen it happen ; Mom and Dad spend thousands (!!) of dollars straightening their teen ’ s smile only to see teeth shift back to their prebraces state . We asked Dr . Chapman of Chapman Orthodontics for his advice !
So , how important is it to wear my retainer every night , anyway ? It is extremely important that teens understand that teeth have memory and will want to go back to where they were . Just like your body changes , your teeth will also want to change . We always recommend wearing retainers forever . In our office , we have fun with the process and actually have a marriage ceremony in which the patient signs a marriage certificate . This certificate makes the patient promise to stay together in straightness and in dental health with their retainer .
We also impress upon teens that their parents have made a sizable investment in their teeth and if they don ’ t wear their retainers , their parents are going to make them pay for it next time .
Are there other reasons to wear your retainer ? It is very important for the teen to understand that the retainers we give the patients not only keep the teeth straight , but protect the teeth from wearing down . Everyone grinds their teeth at night to some extent and the retainers we use go over the top of the teeth . This keeps the teeth from wearing down too fast or in an abnormal way .
How fast can your teeth shift out of place ? Teeth can shift out of place slightly in a matter of days , but as long as your retainers are put back in within a week , your retainers can push them back to where they were . We recommend you wear your retainers every night , but we understand that sometimes we forget and life situations make it tough . We
always advise our patients to go to full-time wear with retainers if you have gone a week or so without wearing them . If you are not sure if you can still wear the retainer , call your orthodontist and make an appointment .
What if my retainer hasn ’ t left its case in weeks ( or , uh … a little longer ) and my teeth have already shifted ? Don ’ t be bashful . We definitely won ’ t be mad at you , but we do need to see you soon to see what can be done . The biggest mistake we see being made is that people say that they meant to come in a year ago . Unfortunately , a lot can happen during that year without a retainer . Always bring your old retainers to that appointment if you still have them because there is still that chance that your retainers can move them back . The retainers that we use are clear and can be worn without anybody noticing that you have them in . Within a very short appointment , we can assess what has happened and give you some options ; it might just involve us making your teen some new retainers that can move them back . Sometimes partial braces can accomplish what needs to be done in a matter of a few months . A lot of our patients who need retreatment do not want braces again , and Invisalign , a series of computer-generated , clear aligners , can be a great option for them . There are different levels of cost for Invisalign , and sometimes the cost can be minimal .
Dr . Will Chapman has been an orthodontist in Montgomery for over 12 years and loves seeing his patients ’ self-esteem grow through treatment . He also served as president of the Alabama Association of Orthodontists .
L24 | Spring 2017 www . potentialmagazine . com