While getting Invisalign or braces give you the beautiful smile you always wanted, retainers are necessary to maintain that smile. At Midtown Dental, we make custom retainers in our start of the art in-house dental laboratory using the latest technology.
Maintain your Smile and Protect Your Investment
It is often natural for teeth to want to move back to their original position following orthodontic dentistry or Invisalign treatment. Retainers provide a great solution to maintain your smile and protect your investment.
Types of Retainers
There are two basic types of retainers that can be used following any orthodontic or Invisalign treatment: fixed retainers and removable retainers.
- Fixed Retainers – A fixed type of retainer is usually a thin wire across the back of the lower or upper front teeth, which is bonded in place by a dentist with cement. An advantage of a fixed retainers is that you don’t have to remove it and you can’t lose it.
- Removable Retainers – A removable retainers is a custom-made appliance that consist of a plastic base and metal wires that cover the outside of the teeth. At Midtown Dental, we make retainers in our in-house laboratory using a professional thermo-pressure machine. This provides the most protective, comfortable and accurate retainers available. One advantage of a removable retainer is that it is much easier to clean, but patients must remember to wear it daily, which can be a challenge for children and teens. Additionally, removable retainers can easily be damaged or lost or thrown away accidentally.
Maintenance
As with any dental appliance, retainers must be properly maintained to ensure they continue functioning effectively. Regularly cleaning retainers are an important part of the maintenance process. The best way to clean retainers are to use retainer cleaning tablets and an inexpensive ultrasonic cleaner. Both are available at our office. In addition, a vinegar and water mixture can help clean the bacteria from a retainer. It’s important to note that regular toothpaste should never be used for cleaning because it can dull the surface and cause bacteria to stick to it.
If you have questions about retainers or how to best maintain them, please contact your Sacramento dentist at Midtown Dental today.
She replaced my permanent retainers (they fell out after 20 years). Honestly, they fit and feel better now than ever before. They used to feel like an obstruction on my teeth. She made them feel like just part of my teeth. The artist in her, I guess. More… She is gentle and seems to take the “how would I want to be treated?” Approach.
Call today at (916) 441–5800 to learn more about our Orthodontic & Invisalign services.