Orthodontic Retention
in Eastern Missouri

Demko Orthodontics provides retainers in Chesterfield, St. Charles, and Washington, Missouri. To learn more, contact us at your local branch.

Retainers are an important part of orthodontic treatment: the retention phase. After orthodontic treatment has been done, retainers help to maintain your results. In some cases, they are used to hold space for permanent teeth after baby teeth are lost or extracted. Retainers are often made of all plastic or a combination of plastic and metal. They are custom made from an exact model of your teeth ensuring they fit perfectly and comfortably. After treatment, you’ll need to wear retainers full time for a while, then just at night. 

Retainers have many benefits as part of orthodontic treatment:  

• Maintain your results. The biggest advantage of retainers is that they maintain your hard-earned results after months or years of orthodontic treatment. 

• Removable. Most retainers are removable for eating and cleaning your teeth. You no longer have any food restrictions or the need for special flossing tools. 

• Easy to clean. Simply brush your retainers with a soft bristled toothbrush and clear, unscented soap. Rinse them in cool water. 

• Replaceable. In the event that you lose a retainer, it can be replaced. However, replacements do come at a significant cost, so it would be in your best interest to avoid losing or damaging them.

Wearing your retainers is an important part of your orthodontic treatment. It can be easy to think you’re done and fail to keep up with this important phase of treatment. Once the teeth have been shifted into proper alignment, they can easily move back to their original position until they settle into their new places. The support structures for the teeth need time to tighten down on the teeth and form a more solid base of support. The retainers allow this to happen at a natural rate. 

Always wear your retainers according to your orthodontist’s instructions. Failure to do so can result in a relapse and the need for repeat treatment or worse.

Demko Orthodontics has established a reputation in the community for providing top quality orthodontic services. With 3 convenient locations, there’s an office near your home, school, or workplace. We focus on improving your smile through a combination of orthodontic and aesthetic treatments. We provide a wide range of services to meet your individual needs with a customized treatment plan.

The length of time that you’ll need to wear retainers varies from one patient to another. You will most likely need to wear your retainers all the time for a period of time, and then only at night. You should never stop wearing your retainers altogether, as your teeth can always shift out of alignment over time as you continue use and apply pressure to your teeth throughout life. 

Rinse your retainers in cool water whenever you take them out. Brush them at least once a day with a soft bristled toothbrush and toothpaste or unscented soap. Use a different toothbrush from the one you use on your teeth. Toothpaste can be abrasive and may scratch your clear plastic retainers, making them less shiny. Always store them in the case in a room of comfortable temperature to avoid loss or damage.

Permanent retainers are an option for some patients. Though we strongly discourage them for many reasons. A permanent retainer is made of metal and is attached to the back side of your teeth to hold their position. 

Even Invisalign requires retention after treatment. You’ll need to wear retainers after your teeth have reached the desired position with your final aligner.

Contact us today at your local branch for more information.