A common misconception is that teeth are like pieces of steel set in concrete; that although the rest of the body changes with age, the teeth will remain straight.

The reality is that this is not true! Teeth, bone and gums are living tissue. They are pliable. That is why orthodontic treatment works. With the proper forces applied, teeth can be moved at any age. We have treated patients as young as 3 and as old as 72.

With this in mind, it’s not hard to understand that after treatment is complete and the retainers are worn for a period of time, when discontinued, changes may occur. Forces, such as pressure exerted by the lips and tongue, can cause subtle changes in tooth positions. Chewing food applies pressure to the teeth. Nail biting or chewing on pencils are habits that exert enough pressure on the teeth to move them.

So, does this mean that wearing braces is useless, that it’s a waste of time since there is that tendency for relapse?

Of course not! Eighty to ninety percent of the original orthodontic problems are permanently resolved with treatment. Corrections to the posterior occlusion (the way the teeth fit together in the back of the mouth), the anterior overbite (the way the teeth fit together in the front), and severe crowding are greatly and permanently improved.

Experience has taught us, however, that after retainers have been discontinued, in most cases a slight amount of shifting occurs. This usually involves rotations of the lower front teeth, and sometimes rotations of the upper front teeth. The more severe the original problem, the greater the tendency for relapse.

But don’t be discouraged! Even though everything in our body changes with age (skin texture wrinkles, hair thins and changes color), you can keep your teeth straight. A very simple solution is available to you.

All that is necessary is that you keep wearing your retainer. That may sound like an unpleasant task, but think about it for a minute. If you could sleep on a magic pillow at night and keep your body from changing, would you be willing to do that? If you will think of your retainer as “pajamas for your teeth”, then you can keep them straight by wearing them at night.

”Retention” is the term used to identify the time period in which the patient is wearing retainers. The advice given to every patient is to wear the upper clear removable retainer over the next two years. During this time, the lower teeth may be retained with a fixed wire placed on the inside of the front teeth. This is worn for two years, or until the wisdom teeth have been resolved. No additional charges are made for this service.

When the retainer is removed, a small amount of polishing will be performed in between the front teeth to help prevent them from shifting and a lower removable retainer will be fabricated. This may be optional, you may decide to continue with your fixed lower retainer indefinitely if you are totally comfortable with it.

After two years of active retention, the patient is released with instructions to wear the upper and lower removable retainers at least “once a week, every Sunday night, just for old times sake”.

The patient then becomes his or her own orthodontist. By sleeping in the retainers and observing the teeth, the patient can see if any shifting takes place. It may be necessary to come back to our office for a check-up. An office visit charge will apply.

It may be necessary to buy a new retainer every five years or so, but what a small investment to make to keep your teeth straight.

Remember, teeth tend to shift with age. We are here to help you prevent and control that shifting. They say, “nothing is forever”, but we say “Retainers are forever!”