Retainers After Orthodontic Bands

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Most people assume that the only time you need to wear a retainer is after an orthodontic procedure, or if your dentist has prescribed one to prevent further shifting of your teeth. Some small gaps don’t require orthodontic procedures though and can be treated with orthodontic bands. Orthodontic bands like Orthofill, Orthoband, and Ora-band are dental bands that are placed on the teeth to close the spaces between your teeth. These bands are worn at night and will slowly put pressure on the teeth to close the gap. There are different sizes of bands depending on the size of the gap that you are trying to close. Wearing retainers after orthodontic bands are essential if you want to keep the changes that you’ve made. 

Proper Aftercare

Just because you are able to treat small gaps like these yourself doesn’t mean that you don’t need to follow up with proper aftercare. After the desired gap is closed, a dental retainer is required to maintain the current position of your teeth, just like after having braces removed. Failure to use a retainer could result in your teeth shifting back into their original position. Using orthodontic bands can be uncomfortable, so you don’t want to lose all the progress you’ve made!

Custom Means Comfort

At SportingSmiles we make custom retainers using an impression that you send us after taking it with our self-impression kit. Custom retainers provide you with a snugger, more comfortable fit. A snugger fit means that your teeth stay exactly where you want them. From this impression, we fabricate Essix retainers. Essix retainers are slim, clear retainers that are non-intrusive and very effective. Our retainers are available as either single retainers or as upper and lower retainers

Retainer Replacement - Set

Act Fast

The retainers will not move your teeth further. They are just designed to prevent the teeth from moving back to their original location. You want to ensure that you take an impression of your teeth as soon as possible after you close any desired gaps. Be sure that you have removed all of the orthodontic bands before taking an impression of your retainer. They will interfere with the molding process. Once you have sent us the impression, do not use the bands any further. Your teeth will shift and your retainer may not fit properly.

Taking your impression immediately after your gap has closed helps to ensure that your Essix retainer from SportingSmiles will fit correctly and help your teeth maintain their new position.

Orthodontic bands can be a great way to adjust small gaps in your teeth without the cost and hassle of full orthodontic procedures. However, failing to properly look after your new smile can result in all your efforts going to waste. Keep that new, winning smile just the way it is. Order yourself a retainer kit before you start out correcting those gaps.

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1 comment

Rod May 17, 2021 - 1:44 pm

I didn’t know orthobands were still a thing. I had mine done years ago but still reorder my retainer from Sporting Smiles.

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