It’s going to happen, that’s not the issue. Your retainer is going to crack or snap, it’s just a matter of time. Retainers are made from essix plastic and the better you take care of them, the longer they will last but all retainers will wear down eventually. It’s what you do after they crack that counts. Some might wonder about dental glue for retainers and if that’s a viable option. Here are three educated reasons why you should never use dental glue on retainers and how you should proceed after your retainers snap.
Dental Glue Is Useless
Some products may claim to be over-the-counter dental glue, but whatever you do, do not use it. Dental glue for retainers is dangerous and pointless and if you have any, go ahead and throw it in the trash. Your retainer is unique and crafted to fit your mouth only. As soon as it cracks, the material stops being effective in retaining your teeth in their proper place. Applying dental adhesives will expand the retainer. Even if the glue expands 1 millimeter, it will render the retainer useless as if you give any space for your teeth to shift, they will. Wearing a retainer that has been glued back together is pointless and will be costly once you realize your teeth have started to shift back.
You Can Cause Serious Harm To Yourself
Dental glue for retainers can also cause harm to your mouth. If you use glue on your retainer, you run the risk of poisoning yourself. Almost all adhesives are dangerous in your mouth and bad for your body. The chemicals in the glue can damage your organs. Dried glue can be rough and cut your gums or irritate your mouth. Even if dental glue is advertised as safe, it will still render your retainer useless.
Cracked Retainers Will Break Again
If your retainer has cracked and you try to glue it back together using over-the-counter dental adhesives, the retainer will crack again. Once the retainer is broken, the essix material will weaken considerably. Any pressure or force will likely snap the retainer again. If you wear a broken retainer held together by glue you even risk having it break inside your mouth with any pressure from your teeth.
Dental glue is meant to be a temporary hold for broken or loose teeth before you can properly see a dentist. It’s not meant to repair retainers that are cracked or snapped in half. Do not try and attempt to repair your retainer with over-the-counter dental glue.
The Only Fix For Broken Retainers
So what can you do when your retainer has cracked? Sporting Smiles offers emergency replacement retainers designed for this exact occasion. You can receive premium retainers by ordering the Sporting Smiles Impression Kit. Take your impressions and send them back to our dental lab where we offer free 3-way shipping for U.S. residents. Once we have your approved impressions (send us photos of your impressions via email before shipping them back so we can approve them) our expertly trained dental techs will craft your essix-plus retainers. Essix-plus retainers are stronger than normal retainers and have a higher resistance to cracking and growing white/yellow spots. You’ll have a replacement set of retainers in as little as 10 days depending on how quickly you return the approved impressions.
Dental glue for retainers offers false hope for those who try and use it. It’s potentially dangerous to the inside of your mouth and gums. The glue will also cause your retainers to expand making them useless, even if they feel fixed. Trust the experts at Sporting Smiles, replacement retainers are the only 100% bet to keep your teeth from shifting. There are no home remedies or over-the-counter dental adhesives that will save a broken retainer.
1 comment
I was about to do something really stupid with dental glue and try and fix my retainer. Glad I didn’t… thanks for the article. I ended up getting a replacement through Sporting Smiles.