You’ve spent the better part of 2 years or more with contraptions on your teeth….hoooray!!! It’s braces removal day. You farewell the metal and skippety doo daa happily away! Only to return a few hours later to have your removable retainer fitted…what?
You see when you reach the end of your braces journey your teeth have been subtly shifting over the final few months into their delightfully perfected resting place. However, if you have read my previous post on “How do Orthodontic Appliances Create Tooth Movement” (click here) you will know that the osteoclasts start to break down bone to make space for the tooth to move and the osteoblasts stabilize the new position. This, however, takes many months to complete which is why it is important to wear your retainers after your braces are removed!
Yes yes, we know that it is all horrid and slobbery and feels huge after your newfound freedom. However, and we mean this sincerely, you WILL get used to it!
You wouldn’t want to invest all that time and money only to behave like a whiney baby and not wear your retainers and risk some of your teeth relapsing to their former incorrect resting place would you?
Let those lovely osteoblasts and osteoclasts do their job and give them all the support you can and you will enjoy your gorgeous new look for life!
