Keep Your Smile
At Backus Orthodontics, we are committed to providing high quality orthodontic treatment to patients of all ages in Hoover and surrounding areas of Birmingham Alabama. Our treatment fees for braces include end of treatment retainers and two years of post-treatment retention checks.
You’ve Made it to the Finish Line
Congratulations on finishing your braces or clear aligner treatment at Backus Orthodontics! You’ve worked hard to achieve your goal of a beautiful, healthy smile, and we’re so glad you chose Backus Orthodontics to share in this exciting time in your life, but your job isn’t over yet.
Your final smile result will depend heavily on your retainer wear; please follow through on advised treatment plan to ensure you achieve full treatment results and to avoid regression of treatment.
Once the active orthodontic appliances (aka braces, Invisalign, etc.) are removed, you will receive retainers to stabilize your orthodontic correction. Because the bone and soft tissues surrounding the teeth are getting used to their new positions for several months after your braces are removed, it is imperative that you wear your retainers as instructed.
Failure to wear your retainers may result in undesirable movement of the teeth, which could necessitate re-treatment.
Because your teeth can continue to move throughout life, orthodontic experts agree that individuals who have undergone orthodontic therapy should wear retainers indefinitely. Be sure to follow Dr. Jeff Backus’s instructions on retainer wear as closely as you can.
How to Care for Retainers
Retainers are made of a thermoplastic material that is sensitive to excessive heat, so they should be kept away from heaters, dishwashers, car dashboards or any place where the temperatures exceed 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
Be sure to clean your retainers before and after you put them in your mouth. Because the material used for fabrication is slightly porous, plaque will tend to cling to your retainers. Gentle scrubbing with a toothbrush and a mild liquid soap will remove the plaque.
A denture cleaning solution, such as Efferdent, is also useful for removing plaque and tartar. Be sure to rinse your retainers thoroughly after cleaning to remove any residue from the cleaning solution.
Our goal is to help your smile stay beautiful and healthy for a lifetime. Your cooperation is essential in order to achieve this goal.
Retainer Tips
- Don’t fold your retainer in your napkin or leave it on the table at a restaurant. Garbage cans don’t make happy hunting grounds.
- Don’t put your retainer in your pocket. It could cause costly or irreversible damage to the appliance.
- Take your retainer out when swimming, especially in large bodies of water. If it falls out, you may not be able to find it.
- Keep your retainer away from animals and children.
- To maintain your beautiful smile, please make sure your retainer is in your mouth at all times. Your retainer should only be out of your mouth when brushing or eating unless directed by Dr. Jeff Backus.
- Your lower retainer may be a fixed retainer bonded onto your teeth. It is not considered permanent and can be broken or detached from your teeth, if you do not exercise caution.
- Bring your retainers to your check-up appointments. If anything happens to your retainers (i.e. it doesn’t fit, it’s broken, or it’s lost) please call us ASAP. If your lower bonded retainer wire comes out, keep it and bring it in at your next appointment for rebonding.
- The first set of retainers is included in your treatment fee. Any repair, replacement of your retainer, or rebonding of your lower retainer will be additional and charged to your account.
- Keep things clean! Be sure to brush your teeth without your retainers in. Do not boil your retainer or put it in hot water. Brush your retainer with a toothbrush using toothpaste and hot water.
Learn About Our
Retainers for Life Program
Details:
- There is a one-time fee of $650 in order to be eligible for the program.
- Up to 4 retainers per year included.
- If teeth shift, the patient is responsible for the additional cost of a new scan.
Types of Retainers
There are different types of retainers. Dr. Jeff Backus will help choose the best option to fit your needs and lifestyle.
Upper Bonded Retainer
Upper bonded retainers are cemented directly to the inside surface of the upper front teeth to prevent your teeth from shifting. These retainers are attached permanently. You should use caution when chewing hard, sticky or crunchy foods as these could dislodge the retainer.
It is important to brush and floss the retainer daily. You should perform daily checks to make sure the retainer is securely attached. If your retainer feels loose or becomes dislodged, call the office immediately for repair.
Lower Bonded Retainer
Bonded lingual retainers are cemented directly to the inside surface of your lower front 6 teeth to prevent your teeth from shifting. Patients with lower bonded retainers should use caution with their bite as the bonding material may break due to incorrect biting and will cause teeth to shift quickly. As with removable retainers, it is important to maintain cleanliness.
When brushing, carefully clean the inside of your lower teeth as well as the wire. You should perform daily checks to make sure the retainer is securely attached. If your retainer feels loose or becomes dislodged, call the office immediately for repair.
Cleaning of this appliance is as simple as brushing with toothpaste using warm water.
Maxillary Hawley
Maxillary Hawley retainers are removable upper retainers. It is important to be careful when handling these as they are fragile and costly to replace. You will be given a special case when you receive your appliance; please use this case for safe keeping when not in use.
However, your retainer should be worn as prescribed with the exception of brushing, participating in sports that require a mouthguard or while swimming.
After Several months of full-time wear, use will be evaluated at your retention visit. Your treatment may be revised to allow for night time use only. Please wear your retainer as prescribed to achieve full treatment results.
Essix
An Essix retainer is a clear, removable retainer. The Essix retainers are not visible when worn and are easy to care for.
You will be given a special case when you receive your appliance; please use this case for safe keeping when not in use. Please wear your retainer as prescribed to achieve full treatment results.