Use of Retainers

Do you have misaligned teeth that are making you self-conscious? Is it hard to floss because a few teeth are out of place? If so, you may be a good candidate for ClearCorrect orthodontic therapy. At All Coast Dental in Pacific Beach, we use this brand of aligners to help patients achieve perfect smiles. But to get the full benefit of orthodontic therapy, patients need to ensure their teeth stay in place.

One of the most common questions orthodontic patients have is how long they will need to wear their retainer for. The answer is usually going to be for life. Typically, an orthodontic patient would wear their retainer at day and night for a period of time as long as they were undergoing the active part of the therapy. After that, they would transition to only wearing the retainer at night. If they stop wearing it, their teeth may start migrating again. Many people who wear ClearCorrect or other invisible aligners had orthodontic braces as children, but their teeth have since shifted enough to be noticeable. What’s especially convenient about ClearCorrect is that the final aligner doubles as the retainer, so patients will be used to cleaning it and still won’t have any metal in their mouths. As always, the aligner should only be put in after the patient has brushed and flossed, and should be replaced by a dental professional if it breaks or melts.

Drs. Julie and Joseph Boulos operate All Coast Dental at 2180 Garnet Ave, Suite 1-K, Pacific Beach, California, 92109. To schedule an appointment, call 858-270-4904 or visit All Coast Dental and fill out a contact sheet.