Congratulations on the completion of your Orthodontic Treatment. Your Orthodontist tells you it’s finally time for your Braces to come off and you are feeling ready to flaunt your newer, brighter smile to the world. It is very common for many patients to feel relieved at this time that the braces will finally be out their mouth; but hey! Wait! Your Orthodontist gives you a retainer to wear; but in the verge of excitement many patients underestimate the value of this phase of treatment and end up regretting it later.
Let me put it simply: Braces are ACTIVE Component which push/pull your teeth in a more harmonious position in your jaw. However, continuing growth, pull of musculature, or a natural tendency makes teeth go back into the position they were in before treatment.
Hence the PASSIVE component “Retainers” do the most important job of keeping teeth fixed into their new position. Proper & complete duration of wear of retainer also positions your jaw & muscles surrounding your new teeth position and this take some time. Irregular use or improper wearing of retainer during this time leads to a condition called – Relapse; where in the corrected changes in your teeth position are lost and you may be back to the stage where you lose the benefits of years of braces treatment.
It is also important to know that duration & type of retainer is best decided by your orthodontist as per your individual case.
So…All in all…Follow your orthodontist’s advice & retain your newer, better smile as well as bite forever!