Essix/Slip Cover (Clear Retainers)

Permanent Retainers

Acrylic Retainers

Essix		Slip Cover

Clear retainers are removable and are used after braces to hold teeth or for minor tooth movement.

Schedule for Use:
The first month, your clear retainer should be worn 24 hours a day. It should be removed when eating and be sure to rinse after drinking to avoid staining. After the first month, your retainer should be worn 12 hours at night for six months. After that time, you can slowly decrease wearing your retainer to twice a week at nighttime or as instructed by Dr. Moin. Because teeth continue to move throughout life, it is recommended that you continue to wear your retainers as instructed..

If you miss a night or two, wear the retainer full time and bite down to seat it fully. The teeth may be a little sore, but the teeth should realign. If they don’t and the retainer does not fit, call the office immediately.

Retainer Care:
Clean your retainer with soap, water and Q-tips. Do not brush the retainer with toothpaste because it will dull the brilliance. Soak the retainer in Efferdent or denture cleaner using cool water once a week for twenty minutes. Place a bead of fluoride gel in the retainer once a week, prior to bedtime and leave it there overnight. This will strengthen the teeth.

Retainer Storage:
When not being worn, you should always keep your retainer in the case you have been given. DO NOT wrap the retainer in a napkin as that is the most common way they are lost.

WHAT’S NORMAL:
Some soreness or tenderness the first few days until teeth get used to the appliance. You may try Tylenol or Advil to help reduce the pain.
Some changes in speech and excess saliva for the first few days until the tongue gets used to the appliance.
 
WHAT’S ABNORMAL:
Difficulty getting retainer in. If the retainer is hard to get in, or is causing pain in the teeth after the initial adjustment period, you may not be wearing it enough and there may be some minor movement of the teeth. If this happens, try to wear the retainer all the time to see if things adjust. If they do not or if you can’t get the retainer in at all, please call the office so we can adjust the retainer.

Back to Top




Permanent Retainers


A fixed retainer, or splint, is a retainer that is cemented in place on the backside of the teeth. They are usually placed on the upper two front teeth (if space existed previous to braces), or on the lower six front teeth (if there was a lot of crowding previous to braces).

Schedule for Use:
As long as you are doing a good job keeping the fixed retainer clean, it may remain in your mouth indefinitely.

Retainer Care:
It is very important that you brush and floss thoroughly paying special attention to the fixed retainer. You will be given flossing instructions using super floss or floss threaders for that area. Be certain that you understand how to use them and floss daily! Your general dentist or dental hygienist can check the fixed retainer at each of your oral hygiene visits.  If your fixed retainer becomes detached from any of the teeth, please call the office immediately.

WHAT’S NORMAL:
Some changes in speech and excess saliva for the first few days until the tongue gets used to the appliance.
 
WHAT’S ABNORMAL:
Anything sharp or poking the tongue. If this happens, the wire may have broken. Please call the office so we can check the retainer.


Back to Top

Acrylic Retainers

There are two types of acrylic retainers, wraparounds and hawleys. A wraparound is a removable retainer that we use, mostly at the end of treatment to hold teeth. This type of retainer may also be used to help close some spacing. A hawley is a removable retainer that we use for a lot of different types of tooth movement, and also to hold teeth once movement is complete.

Schedule for Use:
Your retainer should be worn 24 hours a day for the first six months. It may be removed when eating; always be careful to store it in the case you have been given. After the first six months, you can decrease wearing your retainer to twelve hours at night for another six months, unless instructed otherwise. After that time, you can slowly decrease wearing your retainer to every other night or twice a week at nighttime unless instructed by Dr. Moin. Because teeth continue to move throughout life, it is recommended you continue wearing your retainers as instructed.

Retainer Care:
Clean your retainer with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Soak the retainer in Efferdent or denture cleaner using cool water once a week for twenty minutes.

Retainer Storage:
When not being worn, you should always keep your retainer in water in the case you have been given.
General Tips
Dogs love the acrylic material so always store your retainers in a case when not being worn.
Do not wrap the retainer in a napkin or place it on a lunch tray or on the table when eating out. This is one of the most common ways that retainers are lost.
Do not swim with an acrylic retainer, water can flush them out.
In the event that a retainer is lost, please contact the office immediately to schedule an appointment and find out about replacement costs.

WHAT’S NORMAL:
   Some soreness or tenderness the first few days until teeth get used to the appliance. You may try Tylenol or Advil to help reduce the pain.
   Some changes in speech and excess saliva for the first few days until the tongue gets used to the appliance.

WHAT’S ABNORMAL:
Any irritation or digging into the gums. A wire may have bent while placing or removing your retainer. If this happens, please call the office for adjustment.

Back to Top