Why does Dr. Boschken recommend orthodontic retainers?

What's a Retainer?

A retainer is a piece of plastic and/or metal that is custom-made for each individual who needs one. It fits the exact shape of the teeth and mouth. No two retainers are alike, even though many look similar. Retainers are really common. In fact, most people (kids and adults) who have had braces have to wear a retainer for life. Other people wear them to close gaps in their teeth, to help with speech problems, or to solve certain medical problems.

Why Do I Need to Wear a Retainer?

There are different reasons why you might need a retainer. The most common reason is to help your teeth stay set in their new positions after wearing braces. It's important to wear your retainer because as your body grows, your teeth do some shifting. The retainer helps to control this shifting, which occurs naturally.
After your braces are removed, Dr. Boschken will make you a custom retainer. He will advise you on wearing it (how long to wear it and when.) For example, you might have to wear it all day and night for a year but then only at night after that. Some people may wear their retainer only at night right from the start, but it really depends on your specific needs.
Other people may wear retainers to close spaces between their teeth or just to move one tooth. In these cases, braces aren't needed because retainers can do the job. Often, retainers will be worn for several years to close a space,  and then keep the gap closed by holding the teeth in place. When you wear a retainer for any reason, certain teeth may feel pressure and might even feel sore for the first few days. If you experience this, don't worry — it's completely normal.
Retainers can help many mouth problems besides shifting teeth. Sometimes they're used to help a medical problem. For example, you may have a tongue thrust (a condition where your tongue sneaks through your teeth when you talk). Some retainers, known as a crib or tongue cage retainers, are designed with small metal bars that hang down from the roof of your mouth. These retainers keep your tongue from going forward in between your teeth when you speak. Your tongue is trained to go to the roof of your mouth instead of through your teeth. The length of time patients wear a tongue cage varies depending on the individual.
Another use for retainers is to help people with temporomandibular disorder (TMD). This disorder is usually a result of a bite problem (the teeth don't meet together properly when the jaws are closed) called malocclusion (say: mal-uh-kloo-zhun) or bruxism (say: bruk-sih-zum), which is grinding your teeth while you sleep. Grinding stretches the muscles and joints in your mouth and jaws and sometimes can cause jaw pain or headaches. Retainers can help you by preventing your mouth from closing completely at night, which keeps you from grinding your teeth.
Our philosophy at Boschken Orthodontics is retention for life. After orthodontic treatment is completed, you will always want to wear some kind of retainer to maintain the healthy bite you've worked so hard to create.