At the end of your active orthodontic treatment, your braces will have been removed/ stopped and retainers provided. Usually, you would be required to wear these full-time for one week before reducing wear to evenings and overnight (totaling approximately 12 hours in a 24-hour period). This regime should be followed for at least one year after the removal of your braces.
At the end of the first year, we would advise that you continue to wear your retainers ideally maintaining the overnight regime. In the longer-term, retainer wear should continue life-long at least on a part-time basis. This will vary between individuals but may need to be at least two nights per week. If wear is intentionally reduced it should be done so slowly, by reducing wear by one night a week per month down to two nights per week, over approximately 6 months.
If you experience an issue with your retainers (e.g., lost, broken, poorly fitting, teeth moving) you should contact the practice immediately for further guidance. Please note, if you do not wear your retainers your teeth could move, and this would have to be accepted unless you pursued private retreatment. You should be aware that retainers reduce the risk of tooth movement but do not guarantee elimination of it.
You will already be aware that to clean your retainers you should rinse them in cold to warm water but avoid hot or boiling water. You can brush them with toothpaste but should rinse them thoroughly afterwards. Alternatively, you may wish to disinfect them too by using a specific product such as Retainer Brite. Following cleaning the retainers do not need to be overly dried, but the excess water can simply be shaken off. Retainers must be removed for cleaning, eating, and drinking (aside from plain cold still water) and gumshield wear. When retainers are not being worn, they should be placed in a hard box with airholes.
Please note, retainers will deteriorate over time and eventually would need replacement. The timeframe for this is highly variable between different individuals. During the 12-month retention support period the NHS will provide replacements at a fee chargeable to the patient (currently £84.80). Outside of this period, patients can still access the orthodontic service but on a private basis (current retainer fee is £115). These fees apply irrespective of the reason for replacement.
If you are happy with the information provided and have no concerns, please follow the advice and you will automatically be discharged back into the care of your dentist 12 months after the date of removal/ cessation of your brace. However, should you have any queries, please feel free to contact us on 01732 452233 or use our get in touch form.
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