Retainers after Braces

For people with a misaligned bite or crooked teeth, braces can straighten and align their smile.

Braces are placed on teeth by an orthodontist, which is a dentist who specializes in correcting irregularities of the teeth.

In the beginning, your orthodontist will conduct an exam of your teeth and gums, take impressions of your teeth, take photos of your face and teeth and order X-rays of your mouth and head.

The braces will then be placed on your teeth by your orthodontist. Periodically, you will return to see your orthodontist who will gently tighten the braces a little bit to move your teeth in the correct direction.

After the braces straighten your teeth and your orthodontist removes them, your choppers should look straight. However, teeth have a natural inclination to go back to where they were (crooked) before you had your braces put on. If that were to happen, then you would have wasted a lot of time and money on braces.

That’s why your orthodontist will have you fitted for a retainer, which you will need to wear regularly.

A retainer is a piece of plastic and metal that is custom-made for each person, after his or her braces are taken off. Each retainer is designed to fit each unique mouth; that’s why your orthodontist will make a mold of your newly straightened teeth to create a retainer.

Your retainer will help your teeth stay set in their new positions. Children and adults who have had braces both need to wear their retainers. Children and teens are especially vulnerable to shifting teeth because their bodies are still growing. The retainer helps to control this shifting, which happens naturally. 

Visit our website to learn more about the retainers or call 702-838-0707 to make an appointment today. Our experienced orthodontists will make sure that your comfort is their priority. Start on the road to straighter teeth today!

Whitening After Braces

For many patients, getting their braces off is an exciting time, a time to see the full results of their smile transformation. Straighter teeth helps boost the confidence of many and have health benefits like a better bite, chewing ability, and aids in speaking properly. If you are almost done wearing braces, you are probably counting down the days until they come off.

You are probably aware that you will need to wear retainers. You should also know what getting them off can feel strange for a while, almost as strange as the sensation when you first got them on. There are many things to look forward to- biting into an apple, enjoying popcorn, and even hard candies again.

If you have worn your braces for several years, you may be concerned about the color of your teeth. After all, you might have waited years to see all of your teeth again, they might as well be whiter too. If you consume food and drink that can stain your teeth, there is a good chance that over the years the areas around your bracket might be slightly discolored. At this point in your treatment, you might want to consider teeth whitening. There are many forms of whitening for those who only need some whitening to those whose teeth are noticeably stained. Read more about teeth whitening options post-orthodontic treatment at our page. An in office treatment can whiten teeth up to eight shades, but if you only need minor whitening, take home kits might be a better option for you.