Retainer Care Instructions

Congratulations on your beautiful smile! To keep your smile looking its best, it is critical to wear your new retainers as recommended. This is a very important part of your orthodontic treatment as your teeth will shift or crowd if you do not wear your retainers as instructed!

Please note:

In the beginning, you must wear your retainers 18–20 hours per day and at night when instructed (usually the first 3 months). You can remove them to eat, play sports, play musical instruments, and to brush.

Regularly:

• Brush your retainers with your toothbrush and toothpaste. For added cleaning, you can soak your retainers in water with a mixture of 1/2 H2O, 1/2 hydrogen peroxide, a mixture of water and vinegar, or brush them gently with liquid dish soap.
• The acrylic part of your retainers cannot handle much heat! Be careful not to leave your retainers in the sun or car on a hot day, and never place your retainers in boiling hot water to clean them.
• Always keep your retainers in their case while you are eating. DO NOT wrap them in a paper towel or stick them in your pocket. This creates a higher risk for them to be lost or broken.
• Do not click your retainers in and out with your tongue. This will bend and eventually break them.

For any questions or concerns, please call (402) 334-7339.