Retainer Instructions

It is important to take proper care of your retainers so that you can maintain your beautiful smile forever! We always provide all our patients with these instructions, but just in case you have lost yours, here they are again:

Retainers DO’s and DON’T’S

DO’S:

1. Only keep the retainers in one of two places: your mouth or their case (Remember “FACE OR CASE”)
2. Always use your fingers to seat your retainers in place
3. Pull on both sides to remove your retainers
4. Clean your retainers by gently brushing them under running water
5. You can soak your retainers with denture cleaner tablets 1-2 times per week
6. Brush and floss your teeth (or at least rinse your mouth with water) after eating and before wearing retainers (best way to keep your retainers clean)
7. Always bring your retainers to your retainer check appointments
8. Call us immediately if your retainers are lost, break, or don’t fit

DON’T’S:

1. NEVER keep your retainer in a napkin/tissue; either they will get thrown away or break if the napkin/tissue is placed in pockets and/or purses
2. Do not wear retainers while eating and/or drinking anything but water (ok to drink water with them on)
3. Do not wear your retainers while playing sports
4. Do not bite retainers into place when putting them on
5. Do not remove your retainers by only pulling on one side
6. Do not use really hot water to clean or soak your retainers (warm water is ok)
7. Do not clean your retainers in a dishwasher or boil them in water
8. Keep retainer case away from dogs. Dogs love chewing on retainers and will even get to the retainers by gnawing on the case and getting it to pop open.

*Please remember that your teeth will shift if you do not wear your retainers as instructed. Often times, the only way to correct this is going back into braces/Invisalign.