Broken Retainer

After your braces are removed, you will require some sort of retainer. This might be bonded, removable, or a combination. But what should you do if you break your retainer? You’ll need to reach out to Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics right away! It must be replaced immediately. Your retainer keeps your teeth in their new position, maintaining all your progress. Schedule your appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong as soon as possible. Contact her office in Orland Park, IL.

 

You might not notice right away when a bonded retainer is damaged. It’s one of the reasons you need checkups with your Orland Park orthodontist. No matter how careful you are, wear and tear put your retainer at risk. There are also hard foods and sports injuries too.

 

Do not try fixing your retainer by yourself. It needs to be repaired by an orthodontic professional only. You may cause more damage to the retainer, or even injure yourself. There are a few things that you can do while you wait. First, buy an over-the-counter nightguard. This works as a makeshift retainer for your teeth. It helps prevent your teeth from moving too majorly while you sleep. Make sure to avoid any harder foods too. These will damage your retainer even more.

 

Pay attention to any irritated or injured areas. Treating these early stops them from worsening. Try gargling with salt water to soothe these spots. You might also want to invest in an antibacterial mouth rinse too.

 

Straightening your teeth with orthodontic treatment is a lifelong investment. Your retainer is what keeps it all together after! Contact Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics right away when your retainer is damaged. She is located in Orland Park, IL. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong, visit her website or call 708-444-8341.

When Does My Retainer Need to be Replaced?

Retainers are meant to keep your teeth in place after your braces come off. As long as the retainer is in good shape, it can prevent movement of your teeth. Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL wants to remind our patients that retainers do need to be replaced at some point. Read on to learn the typical reasons why retainers need to be replaced.

Knowing when your retainer has seen its day will help you be prepared for when it happens. This way, you will recognize it may not be doing its job correctly and you can replace it before your teeth start to shift too much. Common reasons that retainers need to be replaced are damage and wear. If the retainer has been cracked, chewed up by either you or a curious dog, or deformed from hot water, it cannot do its job properly. In addition, your retainer will be become naturally worn down. Joints that come apart, calcification, and even looseness can be signs that your retainer is getting old. Retainers last different amounts of time for each person, so it is important to know the signs to look for.

When you notice your retainer is no longer fitting right, schedule an appointment with us so we can adjust it or make you a new one. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics of Orland Park, IL, call our office at (708) 444-8341 or visit our website, www.drcynthiawong.com.