You know your retainer is somewhere in the house. Was it on your nightstand? Is it in your bathroom drawer? Maybe you left it on the kitchen counter? You may begin to forget about it and figure you’ll find it at your convenience. Not wearing a retainer for a month? Not a good idea. Here’s why and how your teeth are affected when you begin to neglect to wear your retainer.
A lot can happen in a month. The seasons can change, relationships can start or end, or you may have finished a long work project. Your teeth have their own agenda too, and not wearing a retainer for a month only speeds up what they want to do.
Teeth have elastic memories, meaning they will want to return to their natural positions before they were shifted by braces or Invisalign. This is the purpose of wearing a retainer as the device prevents your teeth from shifting back into their natural position. A retainer does not shift teeth and will not be able to shift teeth back into position once they’ve shifted. It does however provide the best defense against teeth shifting when worn properly.
You’ve found your lost retainer after a month
If it’s been about a month and you’ve finally found your retainer and it’s in good shape, try wearing it. Within a few minutes, you’ll immediately be able to tell whether your teeth have started to shift or not. If the retainer feels tight your teeth have begun to shift. You may wear your retainer if it’s not uncomfortable. Wearing the retainer will keep your teeth from further shifting while you decide whether you need to see the dentist or not to evaluate your teeth.
Pain may occur after a few moments of wearing your newly found retainer. If this happens, immediately remove the retainer and do not wear it again. This is a sign that your teeth have shifted significantly and wearing your old retainer will damage the teeth. Call your dentist and make an appointment to have your teeth shifted back into position again. The longer you wait, the more expensive it will be to have your teeth shifted into the perfect position. Wearing a retainer that hurts may permanently damage a tooth and end up killing the nerves of it requiring oral surgery.
If your teeth have shifted too much and your current retainer causes too much pain, you may want a replacement set of retainers to keep them in position. Retainers from the dentist require appointments, exams, and potential x-rays. SportingSmiles offers replacement retainers to keep your teeth in their current position without all the hassle and from the safety of your home. A new retainer can be the difference between four treatments of Invisalign or eight treatments which can equate to thousands of dollars.
Not Wearing a Retainer for a Month
Not wearing a retainer for a month can result in your teeth beginning to shift back to their natural position. In as little as a week, depending on how recent you’ve had orthodontic work, your teeth will start to shift. It may not be substantial but with time, all the work that you’ve done to achieve a perfect smile will be wiped out.
If you’ve lost your retainer, the first thing you should do is look for it immediately. The more time that passes, the more it’s likely that your teeth will begin to shift. If your retainer has been lost or if you find it and it’s broken or too gross, there are thankfully a few options for you, including emergency retainers.
SportingSmiles offers replacement retainers that require no dental visits, no need to leave your home, and at half the cost of the dentist. By ordering an impression kit SportingSmiles can craft you retainers to replace the ones you’ve lost. Depending on the processing option you select you can receive a new set of retainers in 6 to 21 business days.
The best way to prepare for the worst-case scenario of not wearing a retainer for a month is to have a backup set of retainers on hand. Life is full of unexpected situations and it’s better to be prepared for the worst. Retainers are easily misplaced, broken with age, or stolen by pets who love the smell of them. Keeping a backup set is the best way to stay prepared and keep your teeth in place while you order a new set of retainers.
Wearing a retainer is a lifetime responsibility once your teeth have finished orthodontic work. You’ll need to replace your retainers every so often because the material in them loses strength over time and they become susceptible to snapping. Keep your teeth in the perfect position with a retainer at night, and keep a backup set on hand for the unexpected. Not only can SportingSmiles provide replacement retainers but the No. 1 online dental production company can keep your impressions on file for life for easy reordering with 3D digital scans
