If you’re reading this blog, you’ve likely lost or broken your retainer, and are not quite sure what to do next. As you know, retainers serve a very important role in maintaining the position of your teeth after completing orthodontic treatment. Although some very slight shifting or relapse of individual teeth is normal, wearing retainers as prescribed by your Orthodontist is essential in order to keep your teeth as straight as possible.
How long can I go without wearing my retainer?
At Fry Orthodontics, we believe that consistency is the KEY when following the proper wear/care instructions for a retainer. Consistently wearing your retainer every night before bed is the only true way to guarantee that the smile you’ve invested in will last a lifetime. This is why it’s important to understand that if you’ve lost or broken your retainer, getting a new one from your orthodontist should be done ASAP!
If you’ve lost your retainer and/or gone more than 1-3 nights without wearing it, your teeth or bite may moderately begin to relapse. There are a couple indicators that teeth have shifted out of alignment:
- Your retainers won’t seat full over all of the teeth anymore. This means they will only fit halfway.
- Your retainer may feel way too tight to wear comfortably to bed.
Many people lose their retainer, then find it weeks later and try to wear it again only to find that it doesn’t fit the same anymore. If this happens to you, it’s important to call your Orthodontist to have a new retainer made. Your teeth have probably shifted at this point, and you want to make sure they don’t continue to do so.
Steps to take if you lose or break your retainer
After completing orthodontic treatment at Fry Orthodontics, our patients automatically receive free retainer replacements for LIFE! All of our patients receive not just one, but two sets of clear, 3D retainers after their removal appointment. Not only does this give them one to start using right away, but a back up as well. We believe that a smile is an investment of a lifetime. This is why we are committed to providing our patients with retainers to last them forever. If you are a former patient of ours at Fry Orthodontics, please follow the steps below if your retainer has been misplaced:
- Step 1: Grab your back up retainer – that’s what it’s there for!
- Step 2: Call our office to set up an appointment to get a new backup retainer made (free of charge)! It’s important to always have a second retainer on hand in case you lose or break one. Even two nights of non-retainer wear can result in your teeth shifting.
What to expect at your retainer appointment
Your retainer appointment can take anywhere between 10-30 minutes in length. New molds of your teeth will need to be taken at this time to ensure the new retainer fits perfectly. These 3D clear, retainers are made in house and can be picked up the same day! If you prefer a traditional wire retainer, those can also be made and/or replaced. However, these do require a small fee since they are not made within our practice.
What if I’m not a former patient of Fry Orthodontics?
Just give us a call! We can be reached at: 913-469-9191. https://fryorthodontics.com/contact-us/
If you did not go through orthodontic treatment with our practice, but would like to benefit from our free retainers for life program, all you’ll have to do is pay a one time fee of $400 (Did you know that one set of retainers is valued at $500?!). All replacement retainers after that will be free of charge.