Wearing a retainer helps keep your teeth in place after orthodontic treatment. According to Sporting Smiles, the orthodontic retainer market size is projected to grow to $388 million by 2024. Learn more about retainers and why orthodontists say they’re so important.
Prevent Reversal of Treatment
Working with an orthodontist to straighten out your teeth and correct other dental problems is time-consuming, so the last thing you want to do is start the process over again. Retainers help prevent reversal of treatment, which means you don’t have to worry about your teeth becoming crooked or spaced out again. This is especially important immediately after you get your braces off, because your teeth will attempt to adjust back to their previous positions if there’s nothing to stop them.
Wisdom Teeth Preparation
At a certain point your wisdom teeth are going to start growing in, which can be a big problem for some people. Creating enough space for wisdom teeth is something orthodontists work toward with braces and other orthodontic treatments, but that space won’t last long if you don’t wear your retainer. Your teeth will start to move back to their original positions fairly quickly, which can obstruct your wisdom teeth and make it difficult for them to come in correctly.
Bite Stabilization
Stabilizing your bite is an essential part of making sure your teeth stay put and function the way they’re supposed to, even after your braces have been removed. Retainers help stabilize your bite during the early stages after braces, which severely reduces the risk of alignment problems down the road.
Saving Time
Visiting orthodontists and getting fit for different devices takes time, so you don’t want to waste your time going back to the orthodontist after you’ve already had braces. Unfortunately, relapse is all too common in people who have braces but don’t wear their retainer. Follow your orthodontist’s instructions when it comes to wearing your retainer and your smile will thank you.
Straightening out your teeth isn’t cheap, so don’t let your trips to the orthodontist go to waste. Wearing your retainer is one of the best ways to keep your teeth in their new positions after you’ve had your braces removed. If you want to learn more about the benefits of braces and retainers, contact Nowlin Orthodontics today.
