Please click here for our response to novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
Retainers
Retainer Guidelines from Your Manassas, VA Orthodontist
Retainers are often an important part of orthodontic treatment, but life with a retainer can take some getting used to. Follow these tips to make things easier:
- At first, some patients encounter difficulty speaking while wearing a retainer. Practice speaking out loud or singing to overcome this issue.
- Always wear your retainer as instructed by Dr. Hussaini, only removing it for eating, oral care, and swimming.
- Cleaning your retainer once each day is crucial to remove plaque and prevent odor. Use warm, not hot, water and brush your retainer with toothpaste. You may also use a product like Efferdent, but you still need to brush your appliance.
- Treat your retainer with care. It is breakable and expensive to replace.
- Call Smileworks Orthodontics immediately if you lose or break your retainer.
- Always place your retainer in its case when not in use. This prevents damage to your retainer and reduces the chances of accidentally throwing it away.
- Most retainers are inadvertently discarded at restaurants and school cafeterias. Never place your retainer in a napkin. Instead, carry your case with you and store your retainer there.
- Do not keep your retainer in your pocket. This can lead to an unintended trip through the washing machine.
- Keep your retainer away from heat including hot water and the interiors of hot cars.
- Never attempt to adjust your retainer on your own.
- Contact Smileworks Orthodontics at (703) 383-0090 for any questions or concerns regarding your retainer.