One of the most celebrated days for orthodontic patients is the day their braces come off. We understand your excitement after you’ve put in all that hard work! The work isn’t completely over, however. When leaving our office you will be provided with retainers and instructions on how to wear and care for them. You may start off with good intentions to wear them diligently every night but find that those good intentions may fall off track. When these good intentions fall off track and a period of time goes by, you may notice a shift! Before you know it, your perfectly aligned teeth are not where they were. This is known as orthodontic relapse. This is the reason follow up appointments are so critical after your braces have been removed. At Windermere Orthodontics we check your teeth and retainers for a year after removal of the braces.
If shifting does occur, there are some ways to help.
- If you have been wearing your retainers and shifting is only minor, you can choose to leave things how they are and monitor for any major changes. You may be asked to wear your retainers full time for a period of time.
- Having new retainers made can also be another option. Some minor shifts can be adjusted with removable retainers.
- Re-treatment is sometimes necessary if the change/relapse is significant. We would need to meet with you to discuss your options.
It’s important to note that some shifting or “settling” of your teeth is expected once your braces have been removed. Shifting is not always a result of improper retainer wear. The most important thing to know is that you should wear your retainers and monitor your permanent retainer as instructed by us. If you notice any signs of damage or change – contact us for a solution. We want you to keep that beautiful smile in place!
For any other orthodontic questions or braces in Suwanee, Cumming or Brookhaven please don’t hesitate to contact us at Windermere Orthodontics!
– Dr. Gorlovsky