You will have to wear your retainers for a good year or two after you get your braces off so obviously you want to keep them in as good of condition as possible. Retainers are just small pieces of plastic and are very fragile, so they will be very easy to break. Here are some tips on keeping your retainer working and fitting properly:
1. Try not to play with it too much. It may be tempting to mess and move it around with your tongue but this will eventually render your retainer ineffective. When you first get your retainer it is specifically fit to your teeth. The act of taking it on and off with your tongue will wear at the metal fittings and before long it may not even fit your teeth anymore and will not do its job!
2. Be aware of when you are wearing it. This can be a problem when you are exercising or just out and about. You might forget you have them in and bite down hard like you had nothing in your mouth. Doing this can crack or damage the retainer because your teeth smash against the top of the plastic so just always be aware when it’s in your mouth.
3. If you do accidentally break it there are a couple things you can do in response. The first is to just wear it still and know it won’t be keeping your teeth as straight as it could but this is very dependent on what kind of damage has been done. You can replace it, but this will be pretty expensive. You can TRY gluing it back together (again it depends on the extent of the break) or something similar but we highly recommend talking with your orthodontist before trying this.
If you follow these tips and ultimately just be cautious and careful when you are out and about, your retainers should serve you well for the time you need to wear them and will help keep your teeth looking as straight and beautiful as they do when you first get your braces off!
-Amanda and Erik
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