Retention

Getting braces off your teeth is exciting. It means that your smile is your own again, and the world of food has no limits. However, you still have to wear a retainer until your mouth and bones have stopped growing. Mack Orthodontics offers three different types of retainers you can wear to help you with this stage of post-braces orthodontics.

This type of retainer consists of strong orthodontic wire made to fit your newly adjusted teeth. It is the most common type of retainer. The lower part has a little bit of colored plastic tucked behind the teeth, while the upper retainer has a soft and hard palate plate connected to the wire that snaps into the roof of your mouth. 

Both are removable and very easy to clean at night. Your orthodontist may have you wear retainers just at night, just during the day, or all the time except when eating or removing them to clean them. You only need to brush them with a soft-bristled toothbrush to keep them clean.

If you are lucky, your orthodontic treatment from orthodontists may be clear, like clear Invisalign braces. Most teens like the fact that nobody can tell they are wearing a retainer when they wear these. It is ultimately up to your parents and your orthodontist if this is the right kind of retainer for you because they can break and are lost easily.

If the clear Invisalign type of retainer is not recommended for you, or your parents decide against it, another "invisible" option is the fixed and bonded retainer. Your front teeth are like the keystones in your mouth. As long as they stay in place, the rest of the teeth behind them will too. 

The fixed and bonded retainer is a wire with brackets sealed to the backsides of the front teeth. You can't remove it, but you will have to brush and floss as you did with your traditional braces. It will stay in place for all of the remaining time you have on your orthodontic treatment plan.

Kids are constantly growing, and with it, their mouths, jaws, and teeth. If you ignore the retention part of the orthodontic plan, their teeth will eventually shift out of position and all will be for naught. Choose the right orthodontic treatment in Bettendorf and Eldridge, and your kids will have a great smile.