Why Our Houston Dentist Patients Should Wear Retainers After Dental Braces

As you approach the end of your dental braces treatment, you will likely feel a lot of excitement about the new smile that awaits you. However, we like to tell our patients early on that once their treatment is completed, they have to switch to wearing retainers. Here’s why both our pediatric dentist’s patients and our cosmetic dentist’s patients should wear retainers.

Teeth Will be Inclined to Shift

When it comes to children who have worn braces, they still have to grow, which means their jaws do as well. This means that the movement of the jaw will cause movement in the teeth, making them crooked and crowded again. This will also encourage overbites and underbites to return. 

As for adults who wore braces, although their jaws are done growing, their teeth will still tend to shift. We have seen cases in which a patient didn’t wear their retainers as directed by our cosmetic dentists and they needed braces all over again to re-correct their teeth.

Why exactly do the teeth want to shift though? This occurs because the teeth haven’t had a chance yet to settle themselves into the soft tissues of the mouth. They were completely reliant on the metal braces or Invisalign holding them in place. To mitigate this, we recommend our patients wear their retainers day and night for about a year, but this will also depend on the individual’s case.

Retainers Protect Your Investment in Your New Smile

Wearing retainers after completing your dental braces treatment ensures your investment was well worth it because you will strengthen your teeth afterward, helping them stay straight for years to come.

Additionally, as we age, our teeth will naturally try to shift, but constantly wearing retainers for a year, and then transitioning to wearing them on most nights will positively impact the longevity of your beautifully aligned smile. If you are really diligent with wearing your retainers, you may get to enjoy your smile for the rest of your life.

Get Fitted For Retainers at Victory Smiles in Houston

As you approach the end of your braces treatment, please book an appointment with us so we can get you fitted for your retainers and further educate you on how to wear them. We look forward to helping you maintain your new smile.