“Remember, wear them in your mouth, not in your pocket. Retainers work when you follow our instructions”.

Once the active period is completed, your braces are removed. The next step is called retention. Retainers are utilized to hold your teeth in their new positions until your bone, gums, and muscles adapt to the new teeth positions. You must wear your retainer as instructed, otherwise your teeth may move toward their original positions and the benefit of wearing your braces will be lost.

“Upon completion of orthodontic treatment, we recommend that all patients wear retainers full time”, as instructed by Drs. Misencik.

Once the bite has stabilized, the retainers are worn part-time; indefinitely. This is your insurance policy that the teeth will remain in position for a prolonged period of time. Teeth move throughout life. It is a normal consequence of the aging process. If retainers are worn indefinitely, change will be minimal over a lifetime.