You’ve just gotten your braces off, now what?
Once your braces are removed, you enter the retention phase of your treatment. In retention, we deliver your retainers with specific instructions on how to safeguard your treatment results. It takes about 6 months for the bone and surrounding tissues to stabilize after orthodontic treatment, so it is imperative that you follow Dr. Larkin’s guidelines on retainer wear.
What if I lose my retainers?
Dr. Larkin provides cutting edge 3D scanner technology that creates models of your teeth for us to fabricate your retainers off of. We deliver your models to you along with your retainers for your safekeeping. In the event you may need another set of removable retainers, all you have to do is drop your models by our office! This technology allows us to be more efficient in getting our patients their retainers and ensuring we can safeguard your new smile.
What happens if I don’t wear my retainers?
Retainers are an essential part of orthodontics, as they ensure the teeth stay in the correct position and alignment once treatment is completed. If you fail to follow the instructions provided by Dr. Larkin when you receive your retainers, your teeth will relapse. Our teeth have muscle memory and without the protection of a retainer, your teeth will be at risk of shifting–and possibly returning to the same state they were prior to your treatment.
What if I had orthodontic treatment elsewhere, but need new retainers?
Over time, removable retainers will inevitably wear out. If you have already been through orthodontic treatment, but need replacement retainers, don’t hesitate to schedule with us! Dr. Larkin will be able to provide you with the same 3D scan as our retention patients.
