Congratulations on finishing your orthodontic treatment!

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The active phase of your orthodontic treatment is complete, and you are entering the retention phase of therapy.

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Your retainer is designed to hold your teeth in their new position. Your teeth may have moved, but your gums and jaw bones still need to adapt to the new position of your teeth. Without a retainer, your teeth will tend to relapse to their pre-treatment position.

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Wearing your retainers is essential to protect the investment you have made in time, effort and resources that have resulted in your great new smile.

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Wear & Care

Please ensure that you wear your retainer plates at all times unless otherwise advised by your orthodontist. Your plates do not need to be worn when eating, during contact sports or when swimming.

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You may find that your speech may be slightly altered by your retainers however this will generally pass in one or two days with a little bit of practice. You may also notice a sensation of excess saliva for a short time.

Please be sure to put the retainer plates in your protective case that will prevent them from being lost or broken. Retainers have an uncanny ability to fall out of pockets and handbags and are often stepped on or chewed by the dog.

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Your retainer plate is fragile.  Treat it with care. Please place the retainer carefully with your fingers and ensure that it is firmly seated. Biting your retainer into position and clicking it up and down with your tongue will almost certainly cause it to fracture. Retainers are hand made and expensive to replace.

If you have a bonded retainer (that is stuck to your teeth), please avoid eating any hard or sticky foods with your front teeth as this may cause it break or become dislodged. If this occurs, you will need to contact us to have it repaired.

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Cleaning

Please ensure that your retainer plates are cleaned at least twice per day preferably in the morning and at night. Be sure to clean your retainers on both sides using toothpaste and the denture brush we
have provided. Holding your retainer deep in the basin or over a towel will ensure that if it is dropped, it is unlikely to fracture.

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Please do not place your retainer in hot water to clean as it will buckle and warp. A brush and toothpaste are all that is required, or you can soak it in water with a denture cleaning tablet first.

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Retainers are an important part of your orthodontic treatment. If you have any problems with your retainers, please call our office as soon as possible to arrange for an appointment.

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Visit Your Dentist

Now that the braces phase of your orthodontic treatment has been completed, your dentist will want to examine your teeth carefully and undertake any routine dental care. Please arrange to see your general dentist for a check-up at your earliest opportunity to ensure that your high standard of dental care can be maintained.

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Once again, congratulations on your progress so far, we hope that you have found your orthodontic treatment to be a positive experience and that your result has more than justified the effort involved.

Following these instructions carefully will ensure that you can have a great smile for life.