Once your big day has finally arrived and you are ready to get your Braces/Invisalign off, your work is not yet over! After you get your pearly whites all straightened up, you need to keep them that way with retainers. Retainers essentially do what they are called, they retain your teeth in their new straight position. Once your teeth are aligned Orthodontically by either metal braces, ceramic braces, or Invisalign, and your treatment is complete, then your teeth are going to want to move back to their original position. Retainers will keep them from moving! Normally, most patients will need to wear their retainers for one year full time, then night time after. Full time is considered all of the time, except while eating and brushing and flossing.

There are three types of retainers. Hawley retainers are the retainers with a metal wire, essix retainers are the clear plastic retainers, and permanent retainers are a wire that is cemented to the inside of your front teeth. Proper flossing is extremely important with permanent retainers. All retainers will do the same job, keeping all of your teeth straight. Most patients at Ray Orthodontics will receive clear essix retainers.

To take care of your retainers: wash them with a toothbrush and water, make sure to clean your teeth before putting the retainer back in, never leave your retainers in a car (especially on a hot day) because they can melt, keep them away from dogs (they will chew them apart), never wrap them in a napkin while eating (they will be thrown out).

Because retainers are so important, and it would be a shame to have crooked teeth again after spending all the time and money to fix your smile, Ray Orthodontics provides free Retainers for life! This is our guarantee to you, that as long as you wear your retainers, you will have a beautiful smile to last you a lifetime! So if you break them, loose them, or anything else happens to them, just come in and get new retainers at no charge!

Ray Orthodontics proudly provides Braces and Invisalign care to the Montebello, Palmdale, Pico Rivera, Whittier, East LA, Monterey Park, Lancaster, Alhambra, Huntington Park, South Gate, Downey, El Monte, Lynwood, Cudahy, Walnut Park & Commerce, CA areas.