Hickory Retainers
Keep the Smile You Worked For
Retainers at Herring Orthodontics help protect your newly straightened smile by keeping your teeth in their ideal positions after active treatment ends. With consistent wear and the right care, your retainer can help you maintain the healthy, confident results you worked hard to achieve.
The Next Step in Keeping Your Smile Straight
Finishing braces or clear aligner treatment is a big milestone, but your teeth still need support to stay in their new positions. Retainers help prevent your teeth from gradually shifting back, protecting the alignment you worked throughout treatment to achieve.
At Herring Orthodontics in Hickory, Dr. Jason Herring will recommend a retainer based on your smile and treatment needs. With the right type of retainer—and consistent wear as directed—you can help preserve your results and keep your new smile looking its best for years to come.
Essix Retainers
Essix retainers are clear, removable trays custom-made to fit snugly over your teeth. Their transparent design makes them a discreet option, so you can protect your newly straightened smile without drawing much attention.
They’re also easy to remove when eating, brushing, and flossing. Just remember to wear yours as Dr. Herring instructs to keep your teeth in their new positions.
Hawley Retainers
Hawley retainers are a classic, time-tested option made with a thin metal wire that runs across the front of your teeth and a durable acrylic base that fits inside your mouth. They’re removable, sturdy, and designed specifically for your smile.
One advantage of a Hawley retainer is that Dr. Herring can make certain adjustments to the wire when needed, giving your retainer some added flexibility as your smile settles after treatment.
Fixed Retainers
Fixed retainers take remembering to wear your retainer off your to-do list. A thin wire is bonded behind your teeth, where it continuously helps hold them in place while staying hidden when you smile.
Because fixed retainers aren’t removable at home, you’ll need to pay extra attention when brushing and flossing around the wire. With good oral hygiene and regular dental visits, a fixed retainer can offer convenient, around-the-clock support for your smile.
Take Care of the Retainer That Protects Your Smile
Your orthodontic treatment may be complete, but keeping your teeth straight is an ongoing job. Wearing and caring for your retainer as directed by Dr. Herring helps protect your results and prevent your teeth from gradually shifting out of place.
A few simple habits can help keep your retainer—and your new smile—in great shape:
- Follow your wear schedule. Wear your removable retainer exactly as Dr. Herring recommends. Your schedule may change over time, so always follow the instructions provided for your smile.
- Keep it in its case. Whenever your removable retainer isn’t in your mouth, place it in its protective case. Avoid wrapping it in a napkin or leaving it loose, where it can easily be lost, damaged, or accidentally thrown away.
- Clean it every day. Gently clean removable retainers according to our team’s instructions using cool or lukewarm water and an appropriate retainer cleaner. Avoid hot water, which can warp some retainer materials.
- Keep it away from heat. Don’t leave your removable retainer in a hot car or place it in a dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer. Excessive heat can distort its shape and affect how it fits.
- Bring it to your appointments. If Dr. Herring asks to see you for a retention check, bring your removable retainer along so we can check its condition and make sure it still fits properly.
- Keep fixed retainers clean. Carefully brush around your fixed retainer and clean between your teeth and underneath the wire as instructed. Your dentist can also help you keep these areas clean during routine visits.
- Tell us if something feels wrong. If your retainer becomes cracked, broken, loose, or uncomfortable—or suddenly doesn’t fit the way it used to—contact Herring Orthodontics rather than trying to adjust it yourself.
- Replace a lost retainer promptly. If you lose your removable retainer, let us know as soon as possible. Going without it gives your teeth an opportunity to shift, so getting a replacement quickly can help protect your alignment.
A little care goes a long way. Treat your retainer well, wear it as directed, and you’ll be doing your part to keep the smile you worked for looking its best.
From Active Treatment to Lasting Results
Getting your braces off or finishing your final set of clear aligners is exciting—but it isn’t quite the end of your orthodontic journey. Your teeth need time to settle into their new positions, and retainers provide the support that helps keep them there.
Here’s what you can expect as you move from active treatment into the retention phase at Herring Orthodontics.
01
Say Hello to Your New Smile
Once Dr. Herring determines that your teeth have reached their planned positions, it’s time to finish active treatment. We’ll remove your braces or have you complete your final clear aligners so you can see your newly aligned smile without an appliance in the way.
This is also when retention becomes especially important. Teeth naturally have a tendency to shift over time, so protecting your new alignment starts right away.
02
Get Your Retainer
Dr. Herring will determine which type of retainer is appropriate for your smile and provide instructions for wearing and caring for it. Depending on your needs, that may include an Essix, Hawley, or fixed retainer.
Your retainer is designed to hold your teeth in their new positions while the tissues surrounding them adjust after treatment.
03
Give Yourself Time to Adjust
A new retainer may feel snug at first, and removable retainers can temporarily affect the way you speak. That’s normal. As you wear your retainer consistently, your mouth should become more accustomed to how it feels.
The important part is sticking with your prescribed wear schedule. Consistency during this transition helps give your teeth the support they need.
04
Settle Into Your New Routine
Over time, wearing and caring for your retainer will become another part of your routine. Dr. Herring may adjust your wear schedule as your smile stabilizes, so continue following the instructions you receive from our team.
Retention is your opportunity to protect everything you accomplished during orthodontic treatment. By making your retainer part of your long-term smile routine, you can help keep your teeth straight for years to come.
Retainers FAQs
Have questions about wearing retainers in Hickory, NC? Learn what to expect after orthodontic treatment and how your retainer can help protect your new smile.