Your retainer is an important part of protecting your teeth and ensuring that your orthodontic treatment remains effective. However, because you will be expected to wear your retainer over the long-term, the retainer will eventually need to be replaced. This may mean that the retainer will break at an unexpected moment, which can leave your teeth vulnerable. Here are a few tips for what to do if your retainer breaks.
Wear your Retainer Consistently
It is important to ensure that you wear your retainer consistently. The more time you spend wearing your retainer, the better protected your teeth will be. Though this doesn’t mean that you can go a prolonged period without wearing a retainer, it can still give you a little bit of wiggle room if your retainer breaks.
Clean it Regularly
Preventing damage to your retainer often involves ensuring that you care for it appropriately. This means that you need to clean the retainer on a regular basis. You should clean your retainer at least once a day, either in the evening or at night, and disinfect it once a week. By taking these steps, you will be able to keep your retainer clean. It will also help you to find the presence of damage when it occurs.
Store the Retainer Correctly
Retainers can be susceptible to damage, especially damage by force. It is important to ensure that you store your retainer correctly in order to prevent accidents from causing damage to the retainer. You should never leave your retainer laying out in the open. Not only are they tempting for pets, but they can break somewhat easily if they are dropped or crushed. Store your retainer in a hard case whenever you aren’t wearing it.
Contact Our Office Immediately
The best thing to do when your retainer breaks is to have a replacement made immediately. As soon as you have noted damage to your retainer, you will want to ensure that you contact our office to schedule an appointment as soon as possible. This will enable us to construct a new retainer to help ensure that your orthodontic treatment remains as effective as possible.
Permanent Retainer Damage
The next step will depend primarily on the type of retainer that you have. When you have a permanent retainer, you will want a family member to examine it for you, since you will be unable to do so yourself. They will be able to identify the extent of the damage. You may need your orthodontist to remove the retainer in order to prevent it from causing damage to the inside of the mouth.
Removable Retainers
If you have a removable retainer, you will want to inspect the extent of the damage. If there is only a small crack, you may be able to continue using your removable retainer in the meantime, until you are able to procure a replacement. However, if the cracks are severe or the retainer is broken in half, you will no longer be able to continue using it. In these situations, the best thing to do is get your replacement made as soon as possible.
A retainer breaking can cause a great deal of anxiety. After all, it is likely that you spent a great deal of time with your orthodontic treatment. Your retainer is an important strategy for protecting your teeth and ensuring that you retain the benefits of your treatment. If your retainer has broken recently, it will be important to obtain a replacement as quickly as possible. Our experienced team at Bailey Orthodontics can help you to do that. For more information about how to handle a broken retainer while still protecting your teeth, contact us at Bailey Orthodontics today!
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