After having your teeth straightened with braces, your orthodontist will create custom-fitted retainers. These permanent retainer hold the teeth in place and avoid shifts common when natural forces take effect. In some cases, you might wear the retainer for years to prevent relapses. In contrast, in others, you might only be required to wear the retainer for a given period. It will all depend on how severely misaligned your teeth were original. Your orthodontic specialist in Florida will recommend how long you will need to wear your retainers.

What Are Different Types Of Retainers?

There are two major types of retainers, namely permanent and removable. As the names suggest, permanent retainers are fixed permanently to the teeth, and you cannot remove them. On the other hand, you can pull on and off the removable retainers from your teeth. Clear retainers are more popular, while removable wire retainers are thicker and less aesthetically pleasing. The clear retainers of the two types are highly favoured as they show less. People around you find it hard to notice that you are wearing them.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Retainers?

Orthodontic retainers do face issues. If they have wires, you might find that they may bend out of place, making them uncomfortable, loose, or ineffective. Biting into hard foods might lead to such damage, but other factors can lead to broken retainers. Some people take the mandate of fixing the retainers when such issues arise, but this needs to be corrected.

Disadvantages of Retainers:

Attempting to fix or repair your orthodontic retainer can easily lead to more teeth trouble, and you want to avoid that. Therefore, you should take the assistance of the best orthodontist near me.

  1.  When fixing your retainer, you might misshape it and move some teeth out of position. It means you will increase your chances of relapses and imperfections. A retainer is only helpful if it achieves its function, and you might end up pushing it into this situation with unprofessional fixing.
  2.  Trying to fix it yourself can also lead to worse damage, such as a broken retainer. You need the right tools to take care of the fixing, especially when it involves significant mending.
  3.  Another disadvantage of orthodontic retainers is that it is widespread to misplace, never to be found again. It is a complaint orthodontists have to handle regularly. Usually, your orthodontist will replace it with a new retainer, which is often very expensive. Therefore, the best thing you can do is ensure you take care of your retainer. However, suppose you damage or lose it, then in most cases. In that case, you should let the orthodontist handle all repairs and replacements.

Also, remember that there is another option besides the orthodontist. If you need to replace a lost or broken retainer, it is possible to do so at a fraction of the cost. Orthodontic retainers are very valuable in keeping your teeth straight and attractive. So take care of them.

Schedule an appointment with a North Miami Beach orthodontist to learn valuable tips for maintaining permanent retainer.