By removing braces or orthodontics that have been in use, patients may believe that the treatment is complete. But in reality there is a very important phase missing in which dental retainers are used.
It involves the placement of devices that maintain the position of the teeth that was achieved during orthodontic treatment, until the body adapts to this new alignment. Below we discuss why it is necessary to use them, the different types of dental retainers that exist and how they should be maintained.
Why are retainers necessary?
Dental retainers are devices that are placed in the mouth of patients when they finish orthodontic treatment. They are necessary in all those who have the appliances removed.
At the end of orthodontic treatment, the teeth have a tendency to return to their old position. The retainers serve to keep them fixed in the new location and that the entire process carried out is successful.
In this final phase, the appliances do not exert any movement or force on the teeth; they only keep what has been achieved. Therefore, the patient will experience neither pain nor pressure.
How long should they be used?
As we already mentioned, after the teeth reach the desired position, the supporting tissues of the tooth may not adapt to the new location and may try to return to their previous place. The dental retainer will keep the teeth in the position achieved until the bone and gums become accustomed and adapt to the changes obtained.
Adaptation can take between 12 and 16 months. Retainers must be worn until the process is complete, otherwise orthodontic results will be lost.
The orthodontist will be in charge of indicating the time of use of the dental retainers according to the clinical case. Most of the time wearing them for a year is usually enough, but some treatments may take longer.
At the beginning, as soon as the orthodontics is finished and the dental retainers are started, their use is intensive. The patient must use them most of the day, but as the months go by, their use is reduced to a few hours.
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