Retainers in Virginia Beach, VA
It is necessary to keep teeth in their new, straighter positions following orthodontic treatment with retainers. As part of the orthodontic treatment, Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser provide patients living in and around Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake, including residents of Virginia’s eastern shore with retainers to maintain their new alignment. Our patients can start treatment for as little as $99 with low monthly payments.
What are Retainers?
For a few months following orthodontic treatments, the bones need time to adjust around the newly placed teeth. Retainers are an orthodontic appliance used to keep teeth straight once braces are removed.
How Much Do Retainers Cost in Virginia Beach?
The cost of retainers is built into the cost of your entire orthodontic investment. With Hawley and clear retainers, if you lose your retainer, we’ll work with you to make a replacement. We go over the costs of orthodontics during your consultation along with payment and financing options. If you have dental insurance, we recommend you bring your information, as we can help you determine if your coverage includes anything for orthodontic treatments. We work with most insurance companies to determine your out-of-pocket costs prior to beginning your treatment. At Savage, Sabol and Visser, we offer orthodontic treatment options for just $99 down and as little as $200 a month.
How Do Retainers Work?
Once our orthodontists concur that the treatment process is complete and braces are removed, retainers are made using digital scanners or impressions of the teeth. Retainers are custom-made to each person’s mouth and teeth. They are worn to keep teeth straight so they don’t move back to their original, misaligned positions.
Types of Retainers
Orthodontists recommend one of a few types of retainers:
Why Do I Have to Wear a Retainer?
Just as easy as it is to shift teeth into their new positions, they can also shift back. This is because our bodies are always changing and retainers are needed to maintain your new smile. Retainers provide just enough tension to keep teeth in place.
How Do I Talk with a Retainer?
Just like other types of orthodontic appliances, it takes a few days to get used to retainers. Reading out loud goes a long way to help you get used to talking with a retainer. Within a short time, you’ll be used to your retainer and talk just like you always have. Fortunately, at Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser, retainer wear is usually recommended only at night.
Retainers are an integral part of orthodontic treatment to maintain the results. People living in and around Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake, including residents of Virginia’s eastern shore, receive retainers from Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser to ensure the success of their orthodontic treatments. Our patients can start treatment for as little as $99 with low monthly payments. Contact us for a complimentary consultation today!
Retainer FAQ’s
Do you have to wear retainers forever?
Once you have completed orthodontic treatment, your smile will need to be maintained with the use of retainers. Teeth will change over time if they are not reminded where they should stay with regular retainer wear. For most people, retainers should be worn nightly for as long as you want your teeth to stay straight. In other words, RETAINER WEAR IS FOREVER!
To learn how long you have to wear retainers call Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser.
What is the purpose of a retainer?
Retainers are orthodontic devices that help maintain the position of teeth after orthodontic treatment. They can sometimes be used to make minor adjustments to tooth positions, however, their primary purpose is to keep teeth from moving out of their proper positions.
To learn what is the purpose of a retainer call Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser.
How much does a retainer cost?
This depends on the type of retainer that is being made. Some custom made retainers can cost as little as $200, while others can cost as much as $500. Retainers need to be custom made to have the perfect fit and to hold your teeth exactly where you want them to stay.
To learn how much a retainer cost call Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser.
Can I use an over the counter retainer?
Although some retainers/mouth guards can be purchased over the counter and “fit” at home, these rarely fit adequately to truly maintain proper tooth positions. These “fit at home” retainers can also cause some unexpected and unwanted changes in your bite which could lead to more serious issues including open bites, shifting teeth and TMJ issues.
To learn if you can use an over the counter retainer call Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser.
What kind of retainers are there?
There are two main types of retainers: fixed (permanent) and removable retainers. Fixed retainers are bonded to the teeth and are meant to be left in place indefinitely. These retainers are very good at preserving tooth positions as they are always in the mouth, but can be difficult to keep clean and the patient needs to watch what they are eating to avoid breaking the fixed retainer. Removable retainers are placed and removed by the patient each night to keep the teeth straight. They are also effective at keeping teeth in position, but the patient must remember to wear them for the retainer to work.
To learn more about the types of retainers call Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser.
What retainer is best for me?
Your orthodontist is the best person to help you with this question. For most patients, a removable retainer will work well to keep the teeth straight. These retainers are often made of wire and acrylic or clear plastic. Both are custom made by your orthodontist to best retain your teeth. The decision for what type of retainer is best for each patient is made by your orthodontist depending on pretreatment orthodontic problems.
To learn what retainer is best for you call Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser.
Do I have to wear a retainer after Invisalign treatment?
Just like traditional braces, Invisalign treatment moves teeth from one position to another more desirable location. In order to keep your teeth in the more desirable position, you will need to wear your retainer nightly to insure they stay in place.
To learn if you need to wear a retainer after Invisalign treatment call Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser.
Is it harmful to wear my retainer full time?
It is unlikely that you can wear your retainers too much. In general, your orthodontist will recommend that you wear your retainer at least 8-12 hours per day. This amount of wear is the minimum necessary to insure exceptional maintenance of your smile and bite. Wearing your retainer more than 8-12 hours a day will not harm you, but it may cause your retainer to wear out faster.
To learn if it's harmful to wear retainer full time call Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser.
What happens if I don’t wear my retainer after orthodontic/Invisalign treatment?
Not wearing your retainer after completing orthodontic treatment with either braces or Invisalign will allow your teeth to move out of position over time. Teeth have a sort of “memory” of where they were prior to orthodontic treatment and without retainer wear they will likely move back in the direction that they came from and become poorly aligned again. Keep your smile looking great…wear your retainer every night!
To learn what happens if you don’t wear retainer after orthodontic/Invisalign treatment call Drs. Savage, Sabol & Visser.
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