Are Permanent Retainers Really Permanent?

Are Permanent Retainers Really Permanent?

Without a retainer, your teeth will begin to shift back to where they were before. Teeth continue to shift over time as we age, even following proper orthodontia. Wearing your retainer consistently presents a barrier against this shift and maintains your dentist’s hard work! Because teeth begin to shift naturally as we age, a permanent retainer typically offers better long-term results for teeth straightening than a removable one. Permanent retainers eliminate human error as you cannot forget to put it in!

While the common vernacular for a fixed retainer is ‘permanent’, retainers are not actually permanent. They are only referred to as such because they cannot be easily removed, unlike night guards. Most patients only have braces for a couple years, however, permanent retainers stay put for years, sometimes even decades. In fact, they have been known to last for upwards of 20 years with proper upkeep. Permanent retainers do eventually wear out, and can be sequentially removed and replaced.

What If Your Permanent Retainer Comes Off

If your retainer begins to dislodge, we advise scheduling an appointment with us, as opposed to trying to remove the wire yourself. Our medical resources provide solvents to break down the glue and strip the wire out of your mouth, preventing further damage to your teeth.

Eating hard or sticky foods can dislodge the bar and break the glue securing your permanent retainer. In the event that your permanent retainer comes off unexpectedly, you can call our office to schedule an appointment to have it repaired! We advise continuing to wear your removable, clear retainers in the meantime until your appointment. It is helpful to hold onto the wire if it comes out completely, so that we can reinstall it or reference it at your appointment.

Proper maintenance is key to protecting the permanence of your retainer. This involves being conscious of eating too many Laffy Taffys, in addition maintaining good dental hygiene. We realize cleaning under your permanent retainer can be difficult, as fixed retainers are more susceptible to the plaque build around them.

Steps To Simplify Cleaning:

• First pass a piece of floss through the threader
• Then insert the threader beneath the wire.
• Pull the floss forward via the threader until it is beneath the retainer wire
• Floss as you normally would
• If the wire is glued to each individual tooth, you will need to pull the floss out, and then reinsert it between each tooth to repeat the process.

As you can see, fixed retainers may also make it more tedious to brush and floss certain areas. If you do not brush and floss your permanent retainer, plaque can build up beneath the bar, yielding cavities and potentially gum disease. Be sure to schedule regular dental cleanings with Silvaroli Dentistry to remove tartar buildup and ensure neither develops! Poor permanent retainer placement makes flossing and brushing tough and we may suggest an alternative to preserve oral hygiene.

Straight Smiles With Silvaroli

At Silvaroli Dental, we have the technology to help clean and maintain the permanent retainer installed by your orthodontist. We can also help sand down glue following the accidental removal of one. Whether you’re looking to install a permanent retainer, remove one, or pursue a different path, Silvaroli has you covered. Our office offers a variety of alternatives to fixed, permanent retainers, such as mouth guards, Invisalign, and clear braces.

Have questions about alternative retainer options? Call to speak to an associate at Silvaroli Dental, today (775) 453-2522. We want to make you smile!