If you have had braces and are now wearing a retainer, you won’t want to lose it! Wearing your retainer ensures that the hard work and diligence you have endured during braces pays off for the rest of your life. The convenience of a retainer means that now you’re able to take it out as recommended by your orthodontist.
Whether it’s recommended that you wear your retainer at all times except for during meals or snacks, or whether you’re to wear it only at night, there are going to be times when you take your retainer out of your mouth, opening up the possibility that the retainer is lost or damaged. Follow some basic tips to ensure that your retainer never needs replacement or repair and that your teeth continue to look and to function as well as they did the day your braces came off.
- Get a bright retainer case. A bright case will be far less likely to be overlooked. You may feel a little conspicuous, but you won’t ever walk away from the case without noticing it. Label the case so that if you do happen to leave it, someone can return it to you.
- If you leave your retainer off for periods of time, keep the case in one spot. Whether that spot is your sink, your nightstand, your purse, backpack or locker, habitual storage is the key to keeping your retainer safe.
- Never, ever wrap your retainer in a napkin. It is too likely to be grabbed and discarded as trash. If you remove your retainer at lunch, keep the case handy in your pocket, purse or backpack. You know where it is, it’s safe and tucked away. “If it’s not in your face, it’s in the case” should become your motto.
- Wear your retainer when your orthodontist has instructed. When it’s in your mouth, you won’t lose track of it! Wearing your retainer makes your time in braces mean a lifetime of beautiful teeth that function as they should, providing you a base for good oral and general health.
Follow these steps to keep your retainer a part of your oral habits for life.
