The most common question we get in our office after Debond Day is, “Do I really need to wear my retainers?”

Well, friends, the short answer is YES! 

Every single one of us in the office has had orthodontic treatment, and you might find that for those of us who had it when we were young, our smiles aren’t quite what they used to be. That’s because we weren’t great at wearing our retainers. Believe us, we wish we had. The 80% of our adult patients that are in their second round of treatment feel the same way.

We are sharing this for two reasons. One, because we are reminding you that we are all human. We get it! It can be hard to remember to put your retainer in every single night. It is even harder when you are absolutely exhausted, already lying in bed, at a friend’s house, sick, or let’s be honest, you lost them!

Even though this is life and we do understand, we are here to encourage you to fight through and wear your retainers AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!

It matters, here’s why.

• Teeth shift with age
• Relapse can occur after orthodontic treatment. Our teeth have memory, and they want to move back to their original position.
• When teeth shift back, it can cause other health problems including pain, recession, bad breath, headaches, speech impairments, TMJ, facial asymmetry, and uneven wear on your teeth. Not to mention, a less straight smile. 

So how can you make sure that you actually wear your retainer?

• Set an alarm
• Rinse/Disinfect in the morning with RETAINER BRITE and then place them on your bedside table so they are ready to put back in, no matter how tired you are.
• Place a note on your mirror so it can remind you when you brush your teeth.
• Keep a picture of your smile before orthodontic treatment on your mirror so you can be reminded of what your smile will look like if you don’t wear your retainer! 
• FOR PARENTS: We know it can be tough to get your child to wear their retainers, but don’t let your investment in their smile be for nothing! Keep up on them, provide encouragement, and maybe even small rewards for reaching their retainer goals!