Retain Your Smile for Life

Once Dr. Held removes your braces, you'll start the next phase of your treatment: retention. Retainers are essential to keep your teeth and jaws in their new, correct positions after you've straightened your teeth and your jaws have developed.

What to Expect With Retainers

At WingHaven® Orthodontics, you’ll receive a set of retainers to keep the very smile you worked so hard for. We love sharing the most advanced after-treatment options for you to choose from! All it takes is a little commitment on your end, but together we make it easy.

The first set of upper and lower retainers are included as part of your orthodontic treatment cost at WingHaven® Orthodontics. Our clear, durable retainers appear nearly invisible to the naked eye, need only be worn 10 to 12 hours per day, and don’t significantly affect your speech.

Traditional Hawley retainers are also available and recommended for patients with unique orthodontic needs. You'll need to replace your retainers periodically, and you can purchase a second set as a backup.

If you want a long-term, economical solution to retainer replacement, Dr. Held recommends the Vivera® Retainers Program through Align Technology, Inc., the makers of Invisalign®.

The Vivera Retainers Program offers quarterly replacements of clear retainers for a year so that when they wear out, you can have a replacement set ready to go! You can even renew the program through Dr. Held for future retainers.

Dr. Held will instruct you on how to care for your retainers and the frequency of wear. Using your retainers as directed is crucial to prevent regression of your treatment (i.e., undesirable shifting of your teeth and jaws.)

Retainer Care Guidelines

Retainer replacement can be expensive, but with proper care, your retainers will last for years!

  • Wear your retainers 10 to 12 hours daily unless Dr. Held instructs you otherwise.
  • Follow Dr. Held's instructions regarding removing and inserting your retainers to avoid damaging them. Never use your tongue or teeth to remove or insert your retainers because doing so will weaken them over time and cause them to break.
  • Initially, your speech changes just a little bit with retainers in place—practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to adjust to them faster. Focus on repeating any altered sounds. With practice, your speech will return to normal.
  • Remove your retainers when eating or drinking anything other than water.
  • Remove your retainers during physical activity, including active sports, PE, and swimming.
  • Remove your retainers when playing a musical instrument with your mouth or singing in a choir.
  • Remove your retainers when brushing and flossing.
  • ALWAYS put your retainers in the case when they are not in your mouth or being cleaned!
  • Avoid wrapping your retainers in a paper towel or napkin to avoid accidentally throwing them away.
  • Keep your retainers away from dogs since they like to chew on retainers.
  • Keep your retainers out of your pockets.
  • Do not put your retainers in hot boiling water, a dishwasher, or a washing machine to sterilize them. How environments will warp your retainers, so avoid leaving them in a hot car, on a TV, or on a stove.
  • Brush your retainers thoroughly twice daily with soap and water or baking soda using the special retainer brush Dr. Held gives you. Use cool, never hot, water to remove the plaque and eliminate odors.
  • You can use Retainer Brite® for cleaning and softening tartar deposits if you prefer. You can purchase additional Retainer Brite® at www.retainerbrite.com or on Amazon. Please remember to use your special retainer brush to brush away the softened tartar after soaking your retainers in Retainer Brite®. Then, rinse them thoroughly under cool water to remove any unpleasant taste.
  • Do not put your retainers in mouthwash. Leaving retainers in mouthwash too long can damage them and may lead to the need to replace them.
    If your retainers are loose or causing discomfort, they need to be adjusted.
  • Please text or call Dr. Held to schedule an appointment for an adjustment. Do not attempt to adjust your retainers yourself.
  • Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If yours get lost or broken, call us immediately.
  • Always bring your retainers to your orthodontic appointments.
  • If you have any questions or concerns about your retainers, please text or call Dr. Held. She is happy to help you in any way she can!