After months of wearing braces or clear aligner trays, you finally have the smile of your dreams from Heinz Orthodontics! And now that you know what your best smile looks like, you of course want to keep it that way. That is where your retainer comes into play. Dr. Heinz will provide you with a retainer to keep your teeth from shifting after your treatment. For the first few months, you might have to wear your retainer during the day and at night. So keeping track of your retainer becomes extremely important. You don’t want to be without your retainer because the work those braces or clear aligners did can be reversed in a short amount of time. So you never have to worry about being without it, here are 5 tips for keeping track of your retainer.
- Place it in the case when you take it out
It is a common retainer-wearing-practice to wrap your tray in a napkin while you eat. It’s an easy solution if you don’t have your retainer case with you and it’s a great way to hide your saliva-covered retainer while everyone eats. You don’t have to completely avoid using a napkin to cover your retainer, but if you do, be careful where you place the hidden retainer. To most people, a folded or crumpled up napkin looks like trash – this is the perfect way to have a good intentioned stranger throw your retainer-in-disguise in the trash. And no one wants to dig through the trashcan to get their retainer back! Try to keep your retainer/aligner case on you and place your trays safely in your case. If you have to use a napkin, either let your friends know it’s not trash, or place it close to you and keep an eye on it.
- Choose a brightly colored retainer care
Even if you remember to put your retainer back in its case, it is still very possible to misplace your case. When you decide on a retainer case, pick the brightest, loudest colored retainer case available. This will make the case stand out when you’re searching through your backpack, bedroom or friends house for your case. If the case isn’t bright enough for you, try adding some fun stickers that really set the case apart. You are much more likely to find a colorful, bright case if it ever goes missing.
- Label your retainer case
Another great practice to help you keep track of your retainer case is to label that case with your name and parents phone number. If you misplace the case in the lunchroom, or leave it at band practice, whoever finds it will be able to get the case back to you or to your parents.
- Keep it away from your dog
You might think your retainer is gross – all slimy and covered in your spit. But there is at least one furry friend in your life that isn’t grossed out by your spit. Your dog! In fact, your dog will pick up your scent on your retainer and might take it just because it smells like you! If your dog gets ahold of your retainer, it’s pretty likely you won’t want it back. They might chew on it, bury it, or hide it amongst their other toys.
- Keep your retainer case in the same spot
Another super simple way to keep track of your retainer is to keep your case in the same spot at home. Try keeping it somewhere practical, like on your bathroom counter next to your toothbrush and toothpaste. Or set the case in the same pouch of your backpack or purse everytime you travel with your retainer.
It is crucial to keep track of your retainer and to take care of your retainer. Remember to brush your retainer when you brush your teeth, keep your retainer away from heat and rinse it every time you take it out. Following these steps will help you maintain a healthy and happy smile!
It is super important to notify your Heinz Orthodontics’ team if you do misplace or lose your retainer. Dr. Heinz and his team will discuss retainer replacement costs and will get you a new retainer as soon as possible! Getting you back in your retainer quickly will help preserve the orthodontic treatment you received. At Heinz Orthodontics, we want you to keep your teeth happy and keep your smile healthy!
Heinz Orthodontics proudly serves the Rockford, Grand Rapids, Greenville, Ada, and Cedar Springs communities and the surrounding area. In addition to Invisalign and Spark clear aligner treatments, Dr. Heinz offers a range of braces treatment options for kids, teens, and adults. Call us at (616) 951-3006 or click to schedule your complimentary consultation today!