When it comes to straightening your teeth, it is important to keep them that way, even after your braces are removed. Once the braces are removed, Dr. Peyton Harris will discuss ways to retain your beautiful smile. This can mean placing permanent bonded wire retainers and/or providing removable retainers. If you want to maintain your beautiful smile, it is required to wear your retainers and care for them as instructed.
At Harris Orthodontics, we also specialize in placing various dental appliances during treatment, to help achieve the desired functional and aesthetic results.
Conditions Requiring Retainers
Teeth and jaws will keep moving and changing as you grow and age. Retainers are the only way to protect and maintain your final alignment after braces, especially given the following conditions:
- Clenching or teeth grinding
- Mouth breathing
- Lip sucking
- Tongue thrusting, abnormal tongue posture, or low tongue posture
- Space between the teeth before treatment
- Pencil/pen biting
- Rotated teeth
We are driven by the goal to help our patients not only achieve a beautiful and healthy smile, but to also maintain it.
Orthodontic Appliances
We also place different types of orthodontic appliances as part of your orthodontic treatment. These include:
- Palatal Expanders: These orthodontic appliances are used for creating more space in the upper jaw. We can recommend this device as part of your treatment if you have an extremely narrow upper jaw, or when you have crowded upper teeth.
- Lower Expanders: These devices can be used to reduce teeth crowding in the lower jaw.
- Bite Plates: These appliances may be used if you have deep overbites. They help prevent the upper front teeth from covering the lower teeth excessively.
Dr. Peyton Harris may also consider placing other appliances such as headgears, facemasks, and Forsus appliances depending on the type of orthodontic problems you have.
It is important to remember to wear your appliances and retainers as instructed.
