How Can I Keep My Teeth Straight After My Orthodontic Treatment?

Orthodontic treatments to straighten crooked or misaligned teeth may have started as far back as ancient Egypt. Since then, they’ve evolved considerably. X-rays, 3-D imaging and molds, improved materials, and technological advances help make tooth straightening as quick and effective as possible. 

Although 75% of those receiving orthodontic treatments in the United States are under 18, more and more adults opt to straighten (or re-straighten) their teeth. In 2018, 1.61 million US women and men received orthodontics. 

Whether you want traditional wire-and-bracket braces or Invisalign®’s clear alignment trays to straighten your teeth, orthodontics requires a hefty investment in time and money. Depending on your case, you may take half a year to several years to realign your teeth. The last thing you want is for them to revert to a misaligned position.

At Miracle Smile Dental in Aubrey, Texas, our expert dentist and orthodontist, Nisha Modi, DMD, helps you and your family achieve optimal dental alignment and oral health through orthodontics and other treatments. After you undergo orthodontics, we also want your teeth to stay straight for life.

How can you ensure that your teeth stay straight after teeth straightening? Below are some tips. 

Wear a retainer

If you or your parents had braces as a kid, you probably didn’t keep that straight smile for more than a couple of decades. It’s normal for teeth to move and shift over time and revert to (or close to) their original position.

After the time and money you’ve invested in your beautiful, straight smile, you don’t want to lose it, which is why we recommend using a retainer every night to keep your teeth straight for life.

If you use the Invisalign system, you receive Vivera® retainers, which look exactly like your aligner trays, molded to fit your teeth’s final, ideal position. Usually, you wear the retainer 22 hours a day for one year, just as you used the aligners.

After the year is up, you switch to nightly use. We recommend buying retainers in bulk so that you can easily switch them out after a year or so and have them on hand in case of misplacement or breakage.

If you have wire-and-bracket braces, your retainer is usually made of a plastic shell that fits the roof of your mouth, plus wires to keep your teeth in place. You wear the retainers every night, for life, to prevent your teeth from shifting out of alignment. If desired, we can fit you for a clear, comfortable Vivera retainer, even if you didn’t use Invisalign for straightening.

Take care of your retainer

When you’re still at the stage where you must wear a retainer during the day, always carry a case with you. You take them out before eating and should be sure that they’re protected. Ensure they’re far from heat or pets, which could destroy them.

Clean your retainer each time you take it out or before you put it in. You can also use specifically formulated cleansing solutions to keep your retainer sparkling and clear (if appropriate).

Keep your retainer in a case whenever you’re not wearing it. If you store it in a drawer or leave it on a shelf, it could get broken.

Pay attention to tightness

If you notice that your retainer feels tight, that could mean that your teeth have started to shift out of alignment. Your first step should be to wear the retainer for several days to coax your teeth back to their optimal positions. 

If the retainer still feels tight or painful after a few days, or if you can’t get it on, don’t try to force it. Call our office, and we can help you get back on track.

Are you ready for straight teeth for life? Call our team today at 469-765-3567 or use our convenient online scheduling tool for an orthodontics consultation.