Benefits of Wearing a Retainer

Braces are a significant investment, as they can be costly and take months or even years to correct a smile. Retainers are an extremely important factor once the braces treatment is finished and should be worn as instructed, as their job is to preserve your smile and hold your teeth in place after braces. The reason being is because even after you finish your braces treatment, your teeth can shift after some time. The retainer’s job is to control the shifting and ensure that your smile lasts as long as possible.

While the main benefit of retainers is to maintain the alignment of your teeth, there are many other benefits that go beyond that, such as:

1. Helps with speech impediments

Some individuals may experience problems with saying certain words due to the placement of their teeth. A retainer can help with forming sounds correctly. Additionally, a retainer can also correct speech impediments caused by tongue thrust, which occurs when the tongue protrudes through the teeth when speaking. For this particular problem, a specialized retainer, which is known as a tongue cage, can prevent speech impediments caused by tongue thrust.

2. Avoid treatment reversal

Once the braces have been removed, the teeth can move back to their original spaces in the months after. Patients can prevent this from happening by wearing a retainer as instructed after braces have been removed.

3. Custom-fit to teeth

Retainers are custom made to specifically fit your smile. Our goal is to make this experience as comfortable and as easy as possible.

4. Stabilize the bite

Once your braces have been removed, the bone and tissue will also need to adapt to the new changes. A retainer will help ensure that your bite is also stabilized after braces.

5. Accommodate the wisdom teeth

Because wisdom teeth are common for both preteens and teenagers, it is important for them to use retainers during the time that their wisdom teeth erupt. A retainer will help ensure that the teeth do not crowd or shift.

Contact Our Orthodontist Today

At Rawle Orthodontics, our team is committed to providing the best orthodontic treatment. If you would like to book an appointment, feel free to contact us today!