Congratulations!

You’ve reached the end of your active orthodontic treatment, but your retention phase has just begun. Today, you had two retainers placed: an upper and lower removable retainer.

It’s critical to wear and care for your retainer properly to ensure the long-term success of your orthodontic treatment. (Let’s keep that straight smile beautiful!)

Protocol #1

After Comprehensive Braces Treatment

Your upper and lower retainers should be worn 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for six months.

  • Remove your retainers to eat and brush ONLY.
  • If your retainers are not in your mouth, they should be placed in your retainer case.
  • If you do not have your case, do not remove your retainers.
  • If you do not wear your retainers as directed, YOUR TEETH WILL MOVE!!!
  • If your teeth move from the poor retainer wear, you may have to put braces back on at an additional fee.

Keep Your Retainers Clean

  • To clean your retainers, use toothpaste or soap, water, and a toothbrush every time you brush your teeth.
  • You may use denture cleanser to freshen up your retainers if needed.
  • Floss as directed once per day.

Lost or Broken Retainers

  • If you lose your retainers, please call our office immediately.
  • If your retainers break, please call our office immediately.
  • The longer you go without your retainers, the greater the chance for your teeth to shift.

Replacement Retainers

  • The fee for the fabrication of a new Upper Essix/Hawley is $270.00.
  • The fee for the fabrication for a new Lower Essix/Hawley is $270.00.

Protocol #2

After Invisalign or Phase 1 Treatment

Your upper and lower retainers should be worn 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for two months.

  • Remove your retainers to eat and brush ONLY.
  • If your retainers are not in your mouth, they should be placed in your retainer case.
  • If you do not have your case, do not remove your retainers.
  • If you do not wear your retainers as directed, YOUR TEETH WILL MOVE!!!
  • If your teeth move from the poor retainer wear, you may have to put braces back on at an additional fee.

Keep Your Retainers Clean

  • To clean your retainers, use toothpaste or soap, water, and a toothbrush every time you brush your teeth.
  • You may use denture cleanser to freshen up your retainers if needed.
  • Floss as directed once per day.

Lost or Broken Retainers

  • If you lose your retainers, please call our office immediately.
  • If your retainers break, please call our office immediately.
  • The longer you go without your retainers, the greater the chance for your teeth to shift.

Replacement Retainers

  • The fee for the fabrication of a new Upper Essix/Hawley is $270.00.
  • The fee for the fabrication for a new Lower Essix/Hawley is $270.00.

Your Next Visit Will Be Virtual

Virtual Appointment Instructions

  1. You’ll get an email a week before your virtual appointment.
  2. Visit our website and navigate to the Retainer Check page. (elizabethblakeorthodontics.com/retainer-check)
  3. The page instructs you on what information to provide:
    1. If you have Invisalign, you will need to submit 5 photos with the aligners in and 5 photos without the aligners.
    2. If you have retainers, you will need to submit 5 photos with the retainers in and 5 photos without the retainers.
  4. We’ll get back to you within 24-48 hours after Dr. Blake or Dr. Peluso reviews your virtual appointment.

Retainer Check Page