Any slight damage can put the teeth alignment out of it’s original position. Teeth will generally move back towards their original position if not retained. If you don’t want retainers, don’t consider braces. Retainers are a lifelong necessity after braces. Bonded Retainer is part of the deal otherwise you teeth will relapse and you will have to get braces and if not, the treatment is ruined.
WHAT IS RETAINER
Braces are accustomed move teeth and jaws. Retainers are accustomed keep teeth within the position they’re in once movement. Teeth can doubtless move a touch every few years of your life whether or not you have got braces or not. If you would like to stay them straight you would like to wear some kind of retainers, a minimum of at the hours of darkness.
Retainers are typically used for retention of teeth in their position once treatment has been completed. They stop teeth from moving back to their original position once treatment. A retainer could be a device worn full or part-time once braces are removed. Retainers give assurance that your teeth can keep in excellent alignment whereas your jaw continues to grow or develop.
A retainer could be a principally custom-prepared, removable or fastened machine that assists teeth with maintaining their new state of affairs once supports are exhausted. Retainers will likewise be utilised to treat minor dental medicine problems. the employment of a retainer could be a vital piece of post-braces care.
TYPES OF RETAINER
There are many types of retainers that are available depending on the condition of the patient. The include;
1. Hawleys Retainer: A maxillary acrylic appliance with palatal coverage for anchorage. There is an anterior wire with closing loops in the cuspid areas, and usually clasps on the molars. There are retainers like the Hawleys retainer which is partially made of metal and partially of acrylic. Hawley supports the teeth from behind using acrylic and from the front using a bow or wire. Hawley retainers is very durable and it is also removable. The acrylic part of the retainer will not be visible from outside, only the metal which is the active component will be visible.
2. Invisible Retainer: The other hand there are invisible retainers that are made of plastic, and it is widely accepted by people as they will not be visible when worn. These type of retainers are removable and they are fabricated by taking an impression of the newly aligned teeth and the retainer is fabricated on the cast made.
3. Fixed Retainers: Fixed retainers are retainers which are placed on the lingual surface that is the inner surface of the teeth. The process of moving the teeth is a two phased one. First movement, through orthodontics and second, retention through retainers. The biggest failure comes from not wearing the retainers enough. Fixed retainers have the highest success rate. They are metal wires that are bonded onto the lingual surface using suitable dental material. They do no require removal and can be worn throughout the day.
HOW LONG DO I NEED TO WEAR A RETAINER
Ideally after the active period of Orthodontic teeth modulation a period of retention is a must, retention period allows the formation of bone and reattachment of periodontal fibers in the newly attained position.
So a retention period of atleast one year is required for sustenance of corrections achieved during orthodontic treatment . The duration of retention may vary from case to case some with eruption of third molars still pending may require extended retention plans.
BONDED RETAINER
A bonded retainer is recommended if you need to wear your retainer at all times as a follow-up to orthodontic treatment. It is always better to get a bonded retainer instead of a removal one as the chances of patient being compliant and religious in wearing them is taken out the equation. Bonded retainers are made of a metal wire that is glued to your teeth. Usually, this wire is smooth and solid or has a braided texture. It’s attached to your teeth and adjusted to your bite to keep your teeth from shifting or becoming crooked.
Bonded retainer are often recommended by orthodontists after braces to prevent your teeth from moving back to their original place. A bonded retainer may seem like a great alternative to a retainer you have to put on or take off all the time if you think it may be a challenge to use one for comfort or cosmetic reasons. Your dental practitioner will place a guaranteed retainer if you’re unable to go with the responsibility of the nightlong use of retainers.
Most orthodontists recommend lifetime retainers because there is a failure rate in orthodontics, and wearing retainers prevents teeth from moving. Bonded retainers is usually done in the front teeth in order to prevent them from moving.
ADVANTAGES OF USING A BONDED RETAINER
Some of the advantages of using a bonded retainer includes:
1. You don’t have to take it on and off, which makes it easier to keep your teeth in place after your braces come off.
2. The results of bonded retainers are long term compared to the other retainers.
3. No one else knows it’s there except you, because it’s bonded behind your teeth.
4. The greatest thing of all is they are invisible, You don’t have to get conscious about your looks.
5. It is not painful compared to removable retainers, as you skip to wear the removable retainers for few days it gets hard to fit because your teeth looses the alignment.
6. You don’t have to worry about the alignment of your teeth going wrong because bonded retainers help maintain the alignment.
7. It has little to no effect on the way you speak, so you don’t have to feel self-conscious about wearing it in public.
8. You can’t lose it because it’s securely attached with dental glue.
9. It’s difficult to damage from normal everyday use of your mouth.
10. It keeps your teeth in place to help keep your teeth aligned, since the retainer is always in place.
DISADVANTAGES OF USING A BONDED RETAINER
The disadvantages of using a bonded retainer includes the following:
1. In a Bonded retainer, the main thing is that a metal object has been permanently fixed in your mouth that can feel uncomfortable. Your tongue touches the wire again and again. you face the problem of cavities and gum disease if you don’t take the time to properly clean bonded retainer.
2. Bonded retainers can break. Once broken if not repaired, teeth return to their original places.
3. Bonded retainer makes it difficult to use dental floss. Patients can use a floss threader, but many of them will not do this, or they will give up the practice after a while.
4. One big downside is they are only fixed to the front side of the teeth. They won’t help keep all the teeth in alignment.
5. The teeth are really weak and sensitive because of all the plaque that gets trapped under the wire that can’t be reach by you when cleaning the teeth. It can lead to build up of cavity, it can also lead to gingivitis and periodontal disease.
6. Bonded retainers are made of metals and one can accidentally cut the tongue on and injure themselves with it which can be hurtful.
7. Cleaning a bonded retainer using floss threader and super floss can be time consuming.
HOW TO GET YOUR BONDED RETAINER REMOVE
You can remove the bonded retainer with the help of your dentist. Your dentist or orthodontist may also cast off your everlasting retainer if it irritates your gums or teeth or reasons too much plaque or tartar build up at the tooth around it. If you want to remove the retainers just because you don’t want them or you have completed the 20 years of wearing them. Then also you can remove them with the help of dentist.
HOW THE TEETH REACTS WHEN A NEW RETAINER IS CHANGE
A new retainer places new forces on the teeth. Forces cause the bone to dissolve within the direction of the force, and fill in behind on the opposite aspect of the tooth. The bone dissolves faster than it grows back, leaving a space for the tooth to jiggle a little. By the time the next retainer in the series is ready, the bone has grown in and the tooth is more stable. This is how all orthodontics is done. It is the physiology of bone.
CONCLUSION
Using retention is for life. Teeth shift as we get older and particularly with Ortho patients they teeth remember where they used to be and want to get back there. Speak with an orthodontist and see what forms of retention there is. It can be something as innocuous as wire permanently bonded to the backs of your teeth instead of removable ones. A bonded retainer is more comfortable and convenient, but it is a lot harder to take care of, especially for people who have never been great with keeping on top of dental hygiene.