My Glued in Retainer

In our office,  bonded (glued in) retainers are used for certain hard to hold orthodontic corrections.  These include lower front teeth, spaces between upper front teeth and teeth with weak gum and bone support.  

Bonded retainers are not indestructible!  So we reminder our patients and anyone who might have this type of retainer to be careful chewing on hard and very sticky things.  

              It can be more difficult to brush these the teeth with the retainer on.  Make sure you clean all around and remember to floss.  It will be harder to floss with the retainer but you can always use superfloss or floss threaders to get around the bonded retainer.  

                Every night when you brush your teeth check your retainer.  If any part of the retainer comes loose from your tooth, even if part is still attached, make an appointment at the orthodontist as soon as possible.  These bonded retainers are only for holding teeth where they are and do not straighten teeth.  If your retainer comes loose and teeth move or shift a different active appliance will be required to realign your teeth and there will be a charge.  

           As any other dental appliance regular monitoring of this retainer is necessary; either by your orthodontist or by your primary dentist at regular check ups or cleanings.  After a number of years the dentist or orthodontist can remove this glued in retainer and replace it with a removable retainer that can be worn just at night.  (There is a charge for a new retainer)

               In our office after the removal of your active orthodontic appliances and two years of retention office visits we let our patients go on an as needed basis.  This means that we no require them to come in for visits if their retainers are fitting well and causing no problems.  

             We call this a Post Retention Phase or PRP.  Your teeth are now as stable as they ever will be.  Unfortunately, this does not mean your teeth will never move.  So we request that you wear your retention appliances as long as you would like to keep your teeth straight.  At our patients PRP appointment we give them the option with their bonded retainer to leave it, remove it and get a removable retainer or to remove it and do nothing.  

              If a patient chooses to keep the glues in retainer we just ask that they have their dentist check it once a year to make sure teeth are continuing to stay straight and the teeth are being kept clean.  If a patient removes it and has a removable retainer made we just as them to wear this retainer at night with their other removable retainer.  If a patient chooses to go without any retention appliances we just ask that if at anytime their teeth start to move or shift they see an orthodontist as soon as possible so that they can adjust their teeth so they will not have to have full braces again.  We do not recommend this last option!

Wearing your retainer is the best insurance you have to keeping a healthy and attractive smile!

How to clean My RETAINERS

Cleaning traditional retainers is very easy. 

           When you are brushing your teeth, take your tooth brush and brush your retainer.  For a more “deep” clean you may use a denture cleaner or Retainer Brite.  This allows bubbles to clean particles away from your retainer.  Follow the instructions on the box.  If you have metal wires on your retainer, don’t leave your retainer in the cleaner for extended times because this can weaken the wires.

Cleaning Essix retainers or Invisalign type retainers can be very easy also. 

               Clean your aligner prior to each insertion.  First use a liquid soap to make a lather in your hand and place the aligner in hand.  Then scrub aligner with hands.  For a more accurate clean you may use a cue tip. We ask you to use a mild liquid soap. This liquid soap may be anti-bacterial if you wish.  Some patients prefer liquid soaps that are scented.  Do NOT use mouth wash.  The coloring can stain your aligners and make them more visible. Toothpaste can be abrasive to the plastic in your aligners. The scratches can collect bacteria causing discoloration and an odor.

“Oops I dropped my retainer in the trash!”

Going into the trash can be the worst scenario for a retainer.  Even if the retainer is found, many patients don’t want to put the retainer back in their mouth.  The best way to really clean your retainer is to brush it with an old toothbrush and get rid of any particles.  Then you can dip the retainer in peroxide or rubbing alcohol.

 If you want, you may bring it into us, and we will clean it for you.   

REMEMBER: if you lose your retainer or break it there may be a charge.

What's Next?

After I am finished with my orthodontic treatment 

what comes next?

              After you are finished wearing braces or Invisalign the next step is retention.  Retainers come in many shapes and sizes.  Each patient is special and has special needs for their teeth so retainers vary from patient to patient.  Whatever type of retainer is chosen for you should be worn for as long as you would like to keep your teeth straight.  So if you would like your teeth to stay straight forever, the only way that you can ensure that they do is to wear a retainer for 4-12 hours everyday or as instructed by the doctor.

In our office we typically use these retainers for these types of orthodontic procedures:

Full fixed (Braces)- Traditional retainer and a bonded (glued in retainer).
Invisalign- Essix (clear in office invisalign type retainer) or a Vivera (made by Invisalign)


What does that mean?

Types of retainers and their pros and cons:

• Traditional Retainers-  These retainers are an oldie but a goodie.  They are more bulky but they have lots of advantages.  These retainers can last 20-30 yrs and still do a great job.  These can have a picture or color choice added to them so that they can show off your personality.  These retainers can be adjusted if teeth have moved and are more forgiving if you slack in wearing them a few nights.  Traditional retainers also are a little less comfortable then the other types of retainers.

• Bonded Lower Retainers- Are a great way to keep your teeth straight and not have to worry about remembering to put it in your mouth.  These retainers are one of the easiest to wear but one of the hardest to keep clean.  Glued in retainers make it difficult to floss and to brush behind but it is possible.

• Essix Retainers- These in office clear plastic retainers are super comfy and invisible but they do have a few drawbacks.  These retainers are great but only last about a year to a year in half just like contact lens.  They can become expensive if you are going to wear them for a life time because you have to replace them yearly.  (About $100 an arch)

• Vivera Retainers- Invisalign's retention appliance is a great option for patients who love the clear aligners but aren't available to get to an orthodontist every year.  These retainers are made by either taking an impression or a LED Scan.  They are made by Invisalign and are made 4 sets at a time.  So you won't have to come back in for appointments yearly.  Also the scans are saved by invisalign so as long as your last aligner fits you may never have to take an impression again.     

No More Goopey Mess

Invisalign Intraoral Scanner

Our goal at Century Orthodontics has always been to be the St. Louis Leader in Invisalign treatment. We were the first in the Missouri to use Invisalign and we have consistently been one of the top Invisalign providers in the country. That's why we are the first orthodontic office in St. Louis to acquire the iOC Invisalign intraoral scanner. The scanner will allow us to do away the gooey impressions that are normally used to created 3-D models of the teeth. While this machine costs as much as a nice new car, we feel that our patients are worth it!

The benefits of a 3-D dental scanner:

-no need to have impressions taken, leading to a much more comfortable experience and no gagging

-increased accuracy leading to better fitting appliances and thus better control of tooth movement

-elimination of rejected impressions and redo’s

-ability to see the 3-D image of your teeth immediately following the scan

-Ability to view Invisalign tooth animation in a few days vs. a few weeks, allowing us to start treatment 50% faster

The scans generally take between 15-20 minutes, which is comparable to the time required for a full set of impressions. Unlike other scanning systems, iOC is a laser and optical scanner, so there is also no concern about any radiation.

Our office has scheduled 3 days of hand-on training and will begin using the scanner for most Invisalign and Invisalign Teen patients shortly. We think this is going to really improve the overall Invisalign experience and look forward to helping you smile without braces!