For anyone who’s ever worn braces, the day they finally come off is a great day of celebration. Everyone has the same belief: the braces are off and they can go back they way they lived before braces. rnrnUnfortunately, that simply isn’t true. From the moment the braces come off, a retainer becomes a daily part of their lives. rnrn[link url=https://www.bhicksortho.com/treatments-retainers.php/]Orthodontic retainers[/link] are a critical part of dental care after braces because they will continue to help stabilize the teeth and ensure that all the sacrifices of wearing braces aren’t wasted.rnrnBraces help realign the teeth to straighten them out and help create a better and brighter smile. As braces move the teeth, the ligaments and bone that connects your teeth to your jaw loosen. But when it’s time to remove the braces, the ligaments are still loose.rnrnIf you don’t wear a retainer after your braces come off, your teeth will just drift back to the way they were, undoing all the work that was done on your smile. You’d have wasted all the time spent with braces on and your beautiful smile will be gone.rnrnThere are two basic types of retainers:rn1. Fixed: these are retainers that cannot be removed and are normally bonded into place by your orthodontist. The wires fit behind your teeth and aren’t visible. rn2. Removable: there are the more traditional retainers with wires that fit around your teeth and are attached to a hard plastic form that sits against the roof of your mouth.rnrnYour orthodontist will prescribe a retention plan that suits your mouth. You may have to wear [link url=https://www.bhicksortho.com/treatments-retainers.php/]your retainer[/link] all the time for as little as a week or maybe over 6 months. After that, you’ll have to wear your retainer to bed every night. rnrnIf you have questions, come talk to an Orthodontics specialist helping people in North Vancouver and West Vancouver. Dr. Bryan Hicks wants to help you have a perfect smile.rn