Retainers: the key to preserving your hard-earned smile
You’ve worked hard to develop a healthy and appealing smile—now it’s essential to retain it! A retainer is a custom-made oral appliance used to maintain the alignment of your teeth after orthodontic treatment.
Teeth tend to shift as you age. The retainer ensures that your teeth remain in correct alignment for optimal oral health, function, and appearance. A retainer can last for years if you take good care of it.
Main types of retainers:
Clear retainers: Clear retainers are similar to clear aligners. They are made of clear plastic and fit snugly over the teeth. A clear retainer is usually more discreet than a Hawley retainer, although it may not be as durable.
Fixed retainers: Fixed retainers are also called bonded or permanent retainers. They are permanently attached to the backside of the lower front teeth to prevent the teeth from shifting out of place. Fixed retainers can only be removed by your orthodontist, so there’s minimal effort for patients to wear them properly.
Hawley retainers: This popular retainer consists of wires and clasps embedded in a plastic body that covers the roof of the mouth (for the upper arch) or lies along the tongue side of the teeth (for the lower arch). The clasps fit around certain teeth to anchor the retainer in place, while the wire arches across the front of the teeth to maintain their alignment.
Caring for your retainer
Always wear it: Dr. Lynskey will give you clear instructions on how long will need a retainer and for how many hours each day you should wear it. Following those guidelines is vital to smile maintenance.
Brush it daily: Brush your retainer every time you brush your teeth. It’s important to keep your retainer free from plaque and food particles that can invite tooth decay and gum disease. You can soak it in a denture cleaner, too, but daily brushing is indispensable.
Case it immediately: If it’s not in your mouth, it’s got to be in its case. Retainers are easily lost, especially in lunchrooms and restaurants. Your case also protects the retainer from damage or from becoming your pet’s chew toy.
Dr. Lynskey wants to keep your smile straight, healthy, and attractive. She’ll choose a retainer for your lifestyle. Schedule a consultation today to get a beautiful forever smile
Retainer Protection Program
Protecting your stunning, white smile just got easier! With our six-year retainer protection program we’ll cover the replacement of up to four Essix (Clear) retainers annually. That’s a $4,320 value!
Meet Dr. Lynskey
Dr. Victoria Lynskey is a top orthodontist and Gold Plus Invisalign provider in Santa Rosa, CA, known for using state-of-the-art treatments and providing personal, effective, and comfortable care.
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What our patients say about us
Thank you all for giving me my pain-free life back!
Confident, practiced, and skilled professional.
This is the reason I chose her as my orthodontist, but there are many, many other things that make an experience with Dr. Lyndskey so special.
Firstly, her staff are all so pleasant and friendly. From the front desk to the ortho assistants, they all take great care to make patients comfortable, informed, and capable. My case was surgical, and given I had never even heard of this kind of thing, I was a little freaked out at first. I am a person who asks a LOT of questions and was anxious at many appointments, but every staff member who worked on me, and Dr. Lyndskey herself, were so kind and patient and made sure I was comfortable with everything happening. I felt safe and cared for the whole time.
Not only is Dr. Lyndskey extremely good at what she does, it is clear she has a passion and excitement for her work; and that is so encouraging to experience as a patient! I think she enjoys working with patients as well as figuring out their teeth. I like to say that she is some sort of wizard, because when she made adjustments to my braces I could see the change immediately.
They are upfront and transparent with their pricing, and it seems reasonable for the level of service they provide, which includes x-rays, monthly appointments, molds, and a set of retainers, etc. They offer a total price discount if you pay all at once, but they can also set you up with a reasonable payment plan.
My teeth look absolutely fantastic now, thanks to Dr. Lyndskey and her team. I highly recommend their services.