|
Posted on 8/30/2018 by Dr. Daniel Sawrie |
 Orthodontic retainers are oral appliances that orthodontists give their clients in order to reduce the movement of teeth after braces have been removed. Millions of people use oral retainers worldwide, but many do not know how to maintain and care for their retainers for best hygiene and longevity of the retainer. Keeping your retainer free of damage and managing bacteria buildup should be your top priorities. By following the best practices of retainer maintenance you can maximize the life cycle of the retainer which will reduce your overall costs and trips to the dentist. All retainers, no matter how well kept, will eventually wear out with use. Much like a well-cared-for pair of walking shoes, your retainer will get worn out and need to be replaced after it fails to provide the full support needed in your mouth. Retainers will also get "dirty." Even the healthiest of mouths have significant amounts of flora. In fact, according to the Journal of Clinical Microbiology over "700 bacterial species or phylotypes" live in a healthy oral cavity. This "normal flora" will colonize your retainer and make it smell bad. Unfortunately, this is inevitable, no matter how thorough the cleaning of the retainer is, it will still smell. This can be minimized by caring for your retainer in the following manner:
|
Accepting New PatientsWe are conveniently located on Gunbarrel Road in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and on Taft Highway on Signal Mountain. |
