If you think that there is no need to visit the orthodontist once your treatment is completed, think again. Although you have completed the braces journey, misalignment within your teeth, face, and mouth structure can still occur ultimately pushing you back to the beginning which is why orthodontists highly recommend retainers. Say yes to a retainer to keep your dream smile entact for future years in your post-treatment phase.
Before diving into all you need to know about retainers jumping to the retainers, let’s walk through the whole navigating process of orthodontia. Firstly, starting with the consultation, secondly, going through the process awareness completely, thirdly, you reach the first visit with your braces on, fourthly, carry out the follow-up appointments, and finally, your last appointment where braces are off now. Retainers basically come after the whole process and are highly recommended by the orthodontist. Your whole process of teeth straightening can revert back very badly missing the post-treatment retainers.
What are Retainers?
Retainers are orthodontic care appliances that are worn after the braces are removed and the teeth are realigned successfully. This is the stage for which the patients have waited so long, and feel excited to show their bright smiles to people around. The important aspect here is to follow up with the orthodontist carefully regarding the retainers, otherwise, the whole expenses and time utilized at the orthodontist’s clinic will be a complete loss.
Retainers are designed by taking the X-rays of the patient or by taking the mold impression of the teeth, to custom design the retainer set.
Why Need to Wear Retainers?
Human bones are flexible; and the same flexibility applies to the teeth. As the time passes, changes occur to them. Once the correction treatment for teeth is conducted and the teeth are straightened, do remember! With time, mouth pliable bones and tissues changes may shift them back to their older position. To cope with this alarming situation, the orthodontist came up with the new technique of wearing the set of retainers for about 12- hours a day, moreover, approximately for 3 months after the braces are off. Sometimes, even though an orthodontist may recommend wearing it for a longer time period.
Generally seen in many cases people give zero importance to the retainers and some are simply careless about wearing them. Hearing very few common and lazy excuses from them includes: I lost the retainer, I don’t remember where I kept them, maybe I accidentally threw them away and finally, they stopped thinking their teeth are straight enough now and can’t carry the retainers all the time.
Checking the Retainer’s Quality:
The patient needs to find out that the retainer is totally effective. In case, if the retainer wires are creating some issues and it is not fitting properly inside the mouth on the teeth. On the other hand, seeing the retainer is wrapping due to some conditions, these factors may also take the teeth back to their old position.
The confusing question: Can retainers fix teeth back?
Mostly, patients get confused between the retainers and different types of braces. Retainers just keep the newly aligned teeth in its position, and don’t allow teeth to get back in the older path. The name of the retainer itself is explanatory, showing to retain a position. Surprisingly, people still ask; will retainers straighten teeth back is a very illogical question which gets no correct answer at all.
Retainers just keep the new position to its place; it has no quality to straighten the teeth. If you too are thinking about: how long does it take for a retainer to move teeth in the correct direction, get it clear in a situation where you lost the retainer and you reattach them after a few months where some prominent signs of teeth shifting have already occurred. Here, using the retainer back will be a stupid idea, as they will never fit easily.
Yet, pressurizing the retainers to fit on the teeth will cause more harm, consequently, the teeth may get into a new misaligned position, which will take you back to the orthodontist’s chair.
Different post-treatment teeth misalignment issues:
After the braces are removed and the retainers are provided, but the patient due to any condition either losing the retainer or not using them properly, may lead to some misalignment of teeth these are:
- The overlapping teeth issue where the teeth move towards the nearer teeth in the wrong direction.
- Gap created between the teeth.
- Getting too much closer with each other, where even flossing is not possible. All these situations will create problems for the older retainer adjustment and will not work properly.
Minor irregularities correction:
Very few cases are seen where the orthodontist just makes use of the retainers including both permanent and removable ones, for the patient’s teeth correction. Which resultantly more often brings patients with their query about; can retainer fix teeth? This appliance attachment is only for the small corrections, it will never work properly for severe crowded and misaligned teeth.
The Decisive Step:
The answer to the question: Can retainers move teeth back? Yes, but very slowly and in a harmful way, in case during your retention phase, you lost retainer and found them late, however, in between this your teeth somehow change position. And your old retainer is not fitting well; it’s a dangerous point. These retainers are not worthy to be used, go again to your orthodontist for better working. Maybe the orthodontist will customize a new corrective retainer set for you.
