Hawley Retainer

What is a Space Maintainer?

The Space Maintainer is a special appliance recommended to preserve the space when baby teeth have been removed or lost prematurely. The appliance can also serve as an anchor to prevent adult teeth from drifting into space reserved for unerupted or additional teeth.

How will it feel?

You can expect your bite to feel different almost immediately. The molars to which the appliance is attached may get sore for a few days. You may notice it the most when you are eating and therefore you may want softer food for a few days. Any discomfort can be relieved with whatever medication you take for a headache.

Talking should also become normal with just a little practice.

Invisible Retainer

When you've completed the moving part of your treatment, you're ready for the holding part! The next few months will be a critical part of your treatment! Your Invisible Retainer is designed to hold your teeth in their corrected position until the bone surrounding the roots of the moved teeth "fill in" and make them "solid." If we do not retain (or hold) following orthodontic tooth movement, the teeth will move back to their old positions and all that time wearing braces would be wasted.

If your retainer is going to do the job, here are the things you must do:

Wear your retainer as instructed!

Lifetime: As an insurance policy it is recommended to wear your retainer at night indefinitely. Simply use your retainer as a template and try it in. If it feels tight, wear it for the night.

Remove your retainer from the back hook - not from the front.

Take care of your retainers: Clean with soap, water and Q-Tips. Efferdent® works fine, too. Don't brush the appliance with toothpaste; it dulls the brilliance. Keep retainers away from pets - pets are attracted to your saliva and they will eat them. Pets can smell retainers even through the case. Don't use hot water or place near hot surfaces; this can distort the shape of your retainer. You may remove your retainer while swimming.

No flipping: Avoid flipping the retainer with your tongue or chewing on your retainer. This can cause damage to your teeth and retainer.

NEVER wrap the retainer in a napkin or tissue, as they may be thrown away. Always store the retainer in its case (not your pocket).

Speech: You may notice a difference in your speech at first. However, in 2 or 3 days, your speech will become normal. The plastic taste of the new appliance will soon disappear.

Return to your family dentist for an examination and cleaning.

Keep your appointments: You will have fewer office visits but checking your retainer is still very important. Always remember to bring your retainer to every appointment.

If you lose or break a retainer, please call us immediately. The teeth will move if the retainers are not worn as instructed. Additional charges will be made for lost or broken retainers, or a retainer that does not fit because of insufficient wear or negligence.

DON'T FORGET TO SMILE!!!