• Wear your retainer at all times, until the doctor says you are ready to stop wearing it.
• Take your retainer out when eating and be sure to put it back in its case! (Most retainer loss occurs in school lunchrooms or restaurants.)
• Clean the retainer thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Be sure to use warm water and avoid hot water. Efferdent® or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used but replace brushing.
• If your retainer is not in your mouth, it should be in its case. In addition to risking throwing it away by accident, pets love to chew on them!
• At first, you may notice a change in your speech, this will be temporary and will go away once you get used to the appliance. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to accelerate the breaking-in process.
• Retainers are not unbreakable, be sure to take care of yours. If you lose or break your retainer, call us immediately.
• If you think your retainer needs to be adjusted, call us to book an appointment and do not try to adjust it yourself.
• Always bring your retainer to your appointments.
• Retainer replacements are pricy, you can avoid this expense by taking care of yours.
• Remove your retainer when you go swimming.
• Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins.