You must wear your retainers now your brace has been removed. If you do not wear them, your teeth will move. The retainers are made from a thin and clear plastic material.
Wear
Wear your retainers all day and night for the first week. After the first week, wear them every night.
Remove your retainers to eat, drink and clean your teeth. For contact sports wear your mouth guard instead. Keep your retainers in a protective box when they’re not in your mouth.
Care
Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day. Clean your retainers every day with a separate toothbrush. Brush them with liquid soap and cold water. Do not use toothpaste as this will scratch them. Do not use hot water as they’ll change shape and no longer fit.
You can also use retainer/denture-cleaning tablets (follow the directions for use). Your retainers will break if you drop them. Clean your retainers over a bowl or sink filled with water.
Review
We’ll check your teeth and retainers 3 months and then 12 months after brace removal. Please bring your retainers to each visit.
Please ring the department as soon as possible if you break or lose your retainers. You may be charged a fee to replace your retainers if you lose or carelessly break them. The cost is £40.00 for one and £70.00 for a pair.
Discharge
After 12 months, we’ll usually discharge you back to your dentist. Take your retainers to all dental check-ups.
Teeth can move at any time so we advise lifelong wear. If you want to keep your teeth as they are now, you must continue to wear your retainers 2 to 3 nights per week after the first 12 months.
Removable retainers do not last forever and your dentist can replace them. You’ll have to pay privately for the repair or replacement of retainers, as well as re-treatment.
Useful websites
British Orthodontic Society – Orthodontic Retention for Patients
British Orthodontic Society – Patient Information Leaflets
Contact details
Orthodontic Department
Cumberland Infirmary
Newtown Road
Carlisle
CA2 7HY
Tel: 01228 814225
Confidentiality
‘The Trust’s vision is to keep your information safe in our hands.’ We promise to use your information fairly and legally, and in-line with local and national policies. You have a right to understand how your information is used and you can request a copy of the information we hold about you at any time.
For further information on confidentiality contact the Information Governance Team:
Information.Governance@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 603961
Feedback
We appreciate and encourage feedback, which helps us to improve our services. If you have any comments, compliments or concerns to make about your care, please contact the Patient, Advice & Liaison Service:
pals@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 814008 or 01946 523818
If you would like to raise a complaint regarding your care, please contact the Complaints Department:
complaints@ncic.nhs.uk | 01228 936302