The use of orthodontic retainers, also know as Dental retainers is very common among those who have undergone some type of orthodontic treatment. They will be of great help when it comes to maintaining the results achieved.
To understand the importance of using dental retainers and the role they play in maintaining your new smile, we must look at the ability of teeth to move.
Our teeth are attached to the bone through unique support known as the periodontal ligament. It is a suspensory system similar to a hammock, and the fibers of the ligament would be the strings of the hammock.
These fibers are inserted into the tooth on one side and into the bone on the other.
All the structures we have mentioned: tooth, periodontal ligament, and bone, are alive, so their relationships can change. The cells of the periodontal tissue are constantly remodeled when the teeth receive light forces (as happens in orthodontic treatment).
As the teeth move, these tissues adapt and remodel to continue to perform their functions around the tooth.
If too much force is applied to the teeth, the process of reshaping the smile can cause trauma and damage to both the periodontal tissues and the roots of the teeth to which they are attached.
Once the teeth are in a new and desired position, the reshaping process does not end abruptly but needs time to reach a normal dynamic state.
Teeth tend to return to their old position if retainers are not used.
Dental retainers are used to maintain your new smile.
It is clear that one of the objectives after orthodontic treatment is to maintain the results obtained. And that is exactly the function of retainers.
Teeth remain stable in their new position for two reasons:
The first way to keep your teeth from moving and to keep them steady is to retain or stabilize them in their new position. This must be done by wearing the retainers long enough for the bone and periodontal ligament to reform and mature around them. This process can take several months or years. Teeth tend to return to their old position fairly quickly if dental retainers are not used.
The second reason teeth stay in place and do not move on their own is that they are usually in a balanced position where the lips and cheeks, from the outside, and the tongue, from the inside, work together to hold the teeth in place.
Often, the most esthetic position of the teeth is not the most balanced position for the shape of your mouth, necessitating the use of retainers indefinitely.
In other words, dental retainers may be indicated indefinitely to ensure that your teeth do not move again and we do not throw all the money and effort away.
There are several types of dental retainers. If the idea of wearing removable retainers long-term seems daunting, there is a very common alternative in the form of fixed retainers.
These are a small wire bonded to the inside surface of your anterior teeth that prevents them from moving.
These can stay on your teeth for years and are therefore a good solution. The main advantage you get with fixed retainers is that they are not visible and you don't have to worry about putting them in or taking them out.
If we do not want them to break and last a long time, it is convenient to maintain a series of care.
If they are removable, it is important to remove them carefully and wash them every time they are removed. Since they are exposed to saliva and bacteria in the mouth.
There are effervescent cleaners and another option is to clean them with a specific brush, water, and neutral soap. It is essential not to clean them with toothpaste, as this would change their color. You should not wash them with hot water either, as this can deform them.