At Quality Orthodontic Care, the retention phase is one of the most important parts of your orthodontic treatment. Our job is to give you the smile of your dreams – your job is to maintain it! We are pleased to provide same-day retainers issued on the day you complete your treatment. Although protocol varies, generally, patients are to initially wear their retainers 24/7 for the first three months, removing them only to eat and brush. At that time, it may be appropriate to begin wearing them only at nighttime. For those patients with missing teeth, strict adherence to the prescribed wear regimen is crucial to effectively maintain spaces for future placement of prostheses such as dental implants. As your facial structures are always in a dynamic state changing throughout life, it’s of the utmost importance to wear retainers “nighttime for a lifetime” to prevent shifting and relapse.
Space maintainers are similar to retainers in that they maintain the position of teeth. They are typically utilized during tooth eruption to prevent teeth from shifting into spaces where permanent teeth will eventually be erupting.
There are several variations in retainer and space maintainer design depending on the pattern of existing teeth as well as different types, fixed or removable, based on level of necessary compliance.
Call, click or come in to schedule a free initial consultation to learn more about retainers and space maintainers.