Life after braces

The braces have just came off and so are all your restrictions on food and habits.. life is looking more colorful then ever.well hold your emotions right up there.  lets be very practical from your treatment point of view, you are just half way through. the braces treatment is actually between the doctor and the patient where the doctor does his part till the braces are in place and from then on wards its the patient who takes it forward towards the goal. Here we will discuss the easy way to make the changes you achieved a permanent one which we call retention and failure of which will be a relapse.

• The retainer you received from your doctor's office can be either a wired one or a transparent but irrespective of its type you must wear it 24*7 for next one year except the time of brushing and eating.
• There can be at most 2-3 episodes of 4 hours each in a month when you may not wear them and go flaunt your smile, but be very careful of not exceeding that.
• After completion of 1 year the same retainer must be worn for next 1 year only during night.
• For a few unlikely cases the second phase can vary from 1-3 years.
• During the retention phase please visit your braces provider once in every 3 months to make sure things are in place.
• You are most likely to receive very thin fiber or wired mesh fixed behind your front teeth which should stay for at least 2 years. they are called lingual bonded retainer and play a vital role in supporting the main retainer.
• Make sure you clean your teeth regularly  and the retainer as well.remember a dirty retainer can cause mouth infection.use the prescribed mouthwash once in every 3 days.

The period of retention is important as this is the time when new bones are formed around the teeth in their changed position and hold them tight for your lifetime. any relapse will not only make your treatment a failure but its a battle lost for your orthodontist who did his best to make you smile.. lets make this success a permanent one... together.

The author of this article is an assistant professor in a post graduate institute and consultant orthodontist in "Sen's dental clinic and braces center". for any assistance and further query call the braces office @9163-927-966 or visit ''dentalnbraces.com".