Permanent Retainers in Charles County, MD
Serving Charles County and St. Mary’s County, Maryland, with convenient locations in Waldorf, Sequence Orthodontics provides comprehensive orthodontic care, including permanent retainers and other treatments that improve both your smile and oral health.
Permanent Retainers in Charles County, MD
Serving Charles County and St. Mary’s County, Maryland, with convenient locations in Waldorf, Sequence Orthodontics provides comprehensive orthodontic care, including permanent retainers and other treatments that improve both your smile and oral health.
What Is a Permanent Retainer?
Permanent retainers are custom-made orthodontic devices, typically crafted of metal or clear plastic, that hold teeth securely in position following treatment with braces, surgery, or any other method of straightening or realigning the teeth. A permanent retainer is bonded to two or more teeth and is therefore not removable.
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What is the Function of Permanent Retainers in Orthodontic Treatment?
A retainer is designed to “retain” or hold teeth in the correct position after straightening or aligning teeth with braces or other methods. Once braces are removed, the teeth still need time to settle properly and permanently into the jawbone and soft tissue that holds them in place. Permanent retainers keep teeth from moving or shifting back to their original, unaligned position.
Why do Orthodontists Emphasize the Importance of Permanent Retainers?
The International Journal of Dentistry advises that wearing a retainer correctly helps keep teeth aligned and reduces the likelihood of poor oral health. The most significant benefit of a permanent retainer is that permanent retainers are the most effective treatment to secure teeth in place after braces. Additional benefits include not having to remember to insert and remove it and not having to worry about losing it.
Who is a Good Candidate for a Permanent Retainer?
Each patient is unique, and each patient will require a different type of retainer following braces. Not all patients are good candidates for permanent retainers, as these make dental hygiene a bit cumbersome and may not work with very busy lifestyles. Permanent retainers may be suitable for adults, teens, and children, but they are not recommended for all patients.
Is a Permanent Retainer Really Permanent?
Some patients are advised to wear a permanent retainer for the rest of their lives. In other cases, a bonded or “permanent” retainer may be replaced with a different type of retainer after a period of time. The length of time you’ll have to wear your retainer will vary with each individual, but retainers may be worn for the same length of time that you wore your braces since teeth may take up to one year or more to stabilize after treatment. For patients whose teeth were spread too far apart prior to treatment, the retention period may be a bit longer.
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Is Wearing a Permanent Retainer Painful?
Some patients experience mild soreness in the jaw and gums once the retainer has been fitted and bonded. This soreness may last for a few days, but typically, wearing a retainer is less uncomfortable than wearing braces.
Why Choose Sequence Orthodontics for a Permanent Retainer?
The orthodontic specialists at Sequence Orthodontics bring their extensive experience and expertise in the field of comprehensive orthodontic care. Our orthodontists will actually fit you with your retainer and conduct the consultation, which is unusual at many other practices.
