“Do I REALLY have to wear my retainers for life?”

 “Do I REALLY have to wear my retainers for life?”  

By Amy--Treatment Coordinator

 

As a treatment coordinator at Barnett Orthodontics in Akron, Ohio, I am asked this question many times a day, and not just by preteens/teens. Each time the answer is “YES!” There is no shortcut to keeping your smile perfect after you’ve spent (on average) 18-24 months in braces or aligners. Dr. Barnett does use built-in retainers on the bottom (and sometimes on the top) but those are only holding the 6 (and/or 4 on top) teeth in a perfect position. The retainer I am talking about is a clear removable retainer to wear at nighttime. That one will keep ALL your teeth in perfect alignment.

So, you DO have to wear your clear removable retainers forever, and here’s why:

Right after treatment, your teeth are not permanently fixed in their new positions. The bone and tissue around your teeth take time to stabilize. Even after time has passed, without retainers, your teeth will gradually shift back to their original position.

If you’ve had braces or Invisalign for months or years, the pressure on your teeth will still be at play after treatment. Retainers keep your teeth aligned like the day you finished treatment.

    

Orthodontic treatment is expensive (average $6000-$8000 in Barberton, OH)- period. Wear your retainer so you don’t undo the work you’ve put into straightening your teeth, saving you from having to repeat treatment and incur additional fees.

    

Over time, slight movement of your teeth can impact not only the look of your smile but the bite too, and overall health of your teeth. Wearing a retainer helps maintain your beautiful, functional smile and ensures the health of your gums and teeth.

Misalignment or “crooked teeth” can often cause issues like trouble keeping your teeth clean, bite problems, or jaw pain. Retainers help keep this from happening as your teeth stay exactly where they were the day your braces (or aligners) came off.

I know it isn’t what you want to hear but if you don’t want to do the whole braces/aligners process again, it’s simple, just put in your retainers. Make it part of your nightly routine and you won’t be visiting Barnett Orthodontics again- except for retainer checks. 😉

By the way, if you're a past patient at our office, we replace worn-out retainers at NO CHARGE!

Give us a call today to be seen at our Akron/Barberton location 330-745-4497. 

Lost your retainer? Our in-house lab can make you a new one in 1-hour!

It happens to a lot of people, the dreaded lost retainer.  Don't fret, it's easy to get a new one and usually we can make it within a single hour. 

The current orthodontic research shows that your teeth have the potential to move for the rest of your life.  In other words, you have to wear a retainer, just at night, forever.  Over the years we have retreated many patients who thought it was okay to stop wearing their retainer as a teen.  
Teeth are not static.  They have a memory and want to move back to their original position throughout your lifetime.  When your braces are removed or your Invisalign treatment finishes, you will be instructed on how to wear and care for your new retainers.  At Akron's Barnett Orthodontics, we instruct our patients to wear their top retainer for 3-full days and then nights only.  Your retainer will be form-fitted over your teeth and will hold them in their position.  The bottom retainer is usually glued in (built-in).  It can remain there for the rest of your life.

It is also important, if your retainer breaks, you lose it, or have dental work done that you see your orthodontist as soon as possible for a new one to prevent your teeth from shifting.  Good news again, we can make it quickly and economically.  Currently in 2017, our retainer replacement cost is only $75 for any past patient.  You've spent a lot on your orthodontic treatment, a replacement retainer shouldn't be expensive. 

Call us today (330-745-4497) if you need a new retainer.  Click on this link to go directly to our website to learn more about retainers at our office.

What's the point of these rubber bands? Do I really have to wear them all the time? What if I double up at night?

Many people who go through orthodontic treatment are required to wear elastics or rubber bands toward the end of their braces.  Elastics are used to help correct a patient's bite into an ideal position.  Whether you are in braces or Invisalign, the importance of elastics is essential. 

At our Akron orthodontic office, Dr. Barnett and Team work tirelessly on patient education to make this point about cooperation clear.  Without a patient doing the work, the end will never be in sight. 

There are different circumstances that could require the use of elastics; such as, an overbite, an underbite, or a crossbite.  Elastics are connected directly onto the brackets on a specialized hook designed to secure the rubber band in place.  They connect from top to bottom.  The pull of the rubber bands helps to move the teeth into the correct positions by stimulating the cells in the bone surrounding the teeth; therefore, the teeth then shift into the new correct position.  This is only successful when the elastics are worn full time, about 21-22 hours a day.  Part time cooperation will never make progress. As the bone begins the process of changing but when not worn consistently, it always has to “begin again.”  Thus no progress is made.

In today’s busy times, we find more and more people struggling with cooperation.  Whether it is forgetting after a meal to replace them, sports or activities that interfere, or just the "annoyance" of wearing rubber bands in general, some people just can't seem to commit.  Patients think that "doubling-up" on elastics will suffice; some will wear two elastics on each side at bed time and wear nothing during the day.  As brilliant as this seems, it does not work.  The teeth need constant light pressure in order to move.     

          Commonly we hear kids say they forget to put them in after lunch.  If you struggle with this, try setting an alarm/reminder on your cell phone to go off after lunch. Another idea is to keep a bag of elastics as a bookmark in your textbook for the first class after lunch. You can also try placing the rubber bands on a finger while snacking.

          If you really cannot commit to the cooperation, talk with your orthodontist about a non-compliant approach to bite correction.  We use a lot of “fixed” appliances to correct bites.  Ultimately though, each individual patient is in charge of his or her future.  Take some ownership to the process and achieve that awesome result!

---->CHECK OUT THIS FUNNY CLIP WE HAD ONE OF PATIENTS MAKE<---- br="">

 

Have a little "Faith", you won't be the only adult in braces

If you're an adult considering orthodontic treatment, you're not alone. From superstar Faith Hill to the everyday super-moms and super-dads, adults make up 25% of today's orthodontic population.

At the 2013 Grammys this year, Faith Hill proudly displayed her dental accessories and created quite a buzz with the mainstream media. The Today Show on NBC ran a segment this week discussing the growing popularity and social acceptability of adult orthodontic treatment. At Barnett orthodontics, we're proud to provide Akron's adult population with numerous esthetic treatment options from clear braces to Invisalign removable clear aligners. Often the objectives of adult orthodontic treatment are different from adolescent treatment and the overall amount of time one needs to spend in braces can be less. 



Our team at Barnett Ortho would be happy to discuss if orthodontics could be beneficial for you. Call our Barberton office today at 330-745-4497. We proudly serve numerous Akron OH communities, are conveniently located, and provide complimentary consultations. 

Here's a link to a blog post we wrote in 2009 about celebrities and braces.  

How many orthodontists does it take to change a light-bulb (straighten your teeth)?!?

Question: "How many different orthodontists will I have to work with during my treatment at your office?"

Answer: "It takes ONE orthodontist (Dr. Barnett) in ONE office location (Barnett Orthodontics) to straighten your teeth."

Believe it or not, this is a question we hear almost once a month from our new patients at Barnett Orthodontics. Whether it's a child or adult orthodontic case, the patients and parents concern about having multiple orthodontists rests in the fact that different doctors have different personalities and different treatment techniques. Most patients and parents want continuity of care and they want the same person making decisions about what's happening in their case, each and every month.

At Akron's Barnett Orthodontics, Dr. Barnett is the only orthodontist you will be working with. You can rest assured from your first appointment through the completion of your treatment and into the retainer checks, the orthodontist you will see is Dr. Barnett. He will be in absolute control of your treatment each step of the way. No doctor sharing, no questions about which direction the treatment will go. You will get to know Dr. Barnett and he will get to know you.

As well, with only one office location, we will always be available, five days a week (and some Saturday's) to see you for your regular appointments or for emergencies. There is no need to drive a long distance to a second office location for ANY appointment.

It takes one doctor and one location--come experience our experience at Barnett Orthodontics!
330-745-4497
www.barnettortho.com

Invisible Retainers at Akron's Barnett Orthodontics

When you finish your braces or Invisalign treatment at Barnett Orthodontics, you can instantly show off your amazing smile and not have to worry about wearing those bulky, acrylic and metal wire retainers.

By staying at the forefront of technological advancements, Barnett Orthodontics, has a 10 year history of using retainers that are glued in behind your teeth or making them out of a clear invisible plastic. These unnoticeable retainers are just as effective as the "old" Hawley type retainers but have the advantage of being completely undetectable. In fact, the clear removable retainers only have to be worn at night and if the retainer is glued in, it's ALWAYS working so you'll never risk that your teeth could move.

When your treatment is over at Barnett Orthodontics, you can show off that smile with your invisible retainers!