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If your retainer does not fit properly, reach out and return it to your doctor or orthodontist. They can typically make or order a new retainer for you to use. If your teeth have shifted significantly and become misaligned, you may be a possibility for clear aligners to realign them.
A retainer is a type of orthodontic device used to maintain teeth straight. They are rarely, if ever, used alone. They are typically recommended in conjunction with braces or aligners, or as a follow-up treatment to either.
Retainers are typically used at the end of orthodontic treatments. Following the completion of your orthodontic treatment, your dentist or orthodontist will provide you with retainers to ensure that your newly positioned teeth do not shift back into their initial positions.
In most instances, patients are only required to wear their retainers at night. This adds to (and strengthens) the work already done by the braces or clear aligners.
My contact isn’t fitting correctly…
You may realize that your retainer no longer fits properly. This is not a severe problem that cannot be easily resolved by your dentist or orthodontist.
How will you know if your retainer is no longer correctly fitting? All you have to do is cautiously place the retainer in your mouth and make sure it fits properly.
If your retainer is properly fitted, it will feel snug at first and then loosen slightly to provide you with some relief. If you feel like you have to force your retainer into position, or if it is too tight, you should consult your dentist or orthodontist.
It is critical that you wear your retainer only if it fits correctly and comfortably. Trying to wear your retainer when it doesn’t fit correctly can be painful at best. In the worst-case scenario, you could wind up damaging your teeth or your retainer.
Reasons retainers fail to fit
Why might your retainer no longer fit properly? Among the causes are:
Your teeth have shifted and are now in a different location.
If you haven’t worn your retainer in a long time, your teeth may move out of place. This means that your previous retainer will no longer be a good fit for your teeth and dental arch.
You should consult your dentist or orthodontist about getting a retainer that is sized for the present position of your teeth. This will most likely persist until your teeth have settled into their long-term positions.
Incorrect use and storing of your retainer
Insert your contact with caution. Putting it in your mouth will almost definitely damage it.
You should have also received a container for your retainer. Keep your retainer in this case when not in use because the case is intended to help the retainer retain its shape when not in use.
Eating things that could damage the retainer’s wire’s health
The inside area of the wire can be harmed by some foods, which causes the metal to corrode more quickly than usual.
Your retainer may not be fitting as well as it once did if you consume a lot of popcorn and crackers. Pretzels contain sodium crystals that over time corrode metal, reducing the wire’s strength. Popcorn has the potential to get caught in your retainer and send pieces of popcorn flying into your wire.
For however long you need to wear your retainer, your dentist or orthodontist will likely counsel you to refrain from eating pretzels and popcorn.
How to proceed if your retainer is no longer suiting
The first thing you should do if you notice that your retainer isn’t fitting properly is to schedule a consultation with your dentist or orthodontist. Take action as quickly as you can.
If you wait too long, your teeth might have moved too far back toward their initial positions. To return to the stage where you can use just a retainer, you might need to recommence a more extensive form of orthodontic treatment.
The following stage is to obtain a new retainer. You must continue wearing a retainer once you begin doing so until your doctor or orthodontist instructs you otherwise. Replace your retainer right away if it’s no longer functioning with your teeth as soon as you can
Keep your previous retainer in place. Bring it with you when you visit your doctor or orthodontist. They can then assist you in selecting a new one and have the chance to demonstrate how to install it.
It might be a blessing in disguise if your retainer doesn’t suit. Because of the direct relationship between how frequently a patient changes their retainer and how successfully it prevents their teeth from shifting back to their initial positions, you should change your retainer frequently. (before being straightened or tweaked with braces, aligners, or other forms of orthodontic treatment).
After you’ve been fitted for your new retainer, ask your dentist, orthodontist, or aligner firm when you should replace it.
Do not attempt this at home.
Even if a retainer that no longer fits correctly is not a serious problem, do not attempt to “fix” your current retainer at home.
Only a dentist or orthodontist is competent to fit you with a retainer that is compatible with your teeth. You can find a lot of information online about how to make retainer changes at home, but resetting your retainer incorrectly can damage the enamel on your teeth. This can be both unpleasant and costly to repair.
It’s also possible that your retainer was not properly inserted into your teeth. The more frequently you take your retainer out and replace it, the more likely it is that you simply did not reinsert it properly.
The retainer is intended to fit fully inside your mouth, far enough back that the tip of the retainer can grip your gums and keep your teeth in place. You should still seek assistance from your dentist, orthodontist, or aligner company in correctly fitting your retainer, but you may be able to get some use out of it before it’s time to replace it.