Your Retainer Needs Proper Care

A Hawley retainer is often used to help patients maintain the corrected position of their realigned teeth. With consistent use and adequate daily care, your retainer should prevent your teeth from relapsing.

While the Hawley retainer is very durable it will still need some basic care and good oral hygiene habits. If any part of it is bent, damaged or suffering from excess wear and tear, it could reduce its ability to hold your teeth in their corrected alignment. If you notice something is wrong with your retainer, you should call Helm Orthodontics to have it addressed in a timely fashion.

Our dentist notes that you should always remove your retainer before eating to prevent food particles from getting trapped under the retainer while also reducing wear and tear. When the retainer isn’t in your mouth you should keep it in the case provided. Napkins and plastic bags make poor choices for storing a retainer and could lead to it being accidentally discarded.

Your Hawley retainer can be refreshed by soaking it for a few minutes in an equal mixture of antiseptic mouthwash and cold water. As needed you can lightly brush away any plaque buildup with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a nonabrasive toothpaste.

If you are in the Denver, Colorado, area and you have a problem with your retainer, you can always call 303.371.0371 to set up an appointment with Dr. Dr. Nathan Helm.