Retainer Instructions for our Utah Patients

Everyone deserves a smile they’re proud of, and at Utah Orthodontic Care, our mission is to make that possible. We offer comprehensive orthodontic treatments including braces and Invisalign clear aligners from 8 convenient locations throughout the greater Salt Lake City area, and our financing options make orthodontic treatment achievable for almost any budget. But no matter which orthodontic treatment you choose, you’ll finish with a crucial step: retention therapy.

How Long Do I Wear a Retainer?

Retention therapy is a vital part of orthodontic treatment that comes after the active phase of treatment with braces or Invisalign. Without a retainer, your teeth would simply migrate to their old positions. But a retainer gives the bones, ligaments, and tissues that support the teeth a chance to adjust to the new positions, allowing your new smile to “set in.”

We’ll provide detailed instructions for wear when we first give you the retainer, but generally you’ll wear your retainer full-time at first. This may go on for a few weeks or months, after which point you’ll switch to wearing it only at night. Eventually, you’ll be able to wear your retainer only a few nights a week, and after that only once in a while to check the fit.

Caring for Your Retainer

Just like during orthodontic treatment, keeping your retainer clean with proper oral hygiene is an important part of treatment. You’ll want to brush your retainer every time you remove it or put it back in, and we recommend periodically soaking it in a glass with a denture cleaning tablet to provide a deeper clean. It’s also crucial to always use the specialized case we gave you anytime your retainers are outside your mouth. Otherwise, it’s all too easy to accidentally throw them away or lose them, which would necessitate expensive replacements.

Contact Your Greater Utah Orthodontic Provider

Orthodontic treatment is a gateway to a beautiful, healthy new smile, and retention is a critical part of that process. Contact us today if you have more questions about retention treatment, or feel free to reach out to one of our offices. We can’t wait to hear from you, and we wish you luck in caring for your retainer and your smile for years to come!