Are retainers really that important? Ask Dr. Vives!

If you recently completed treatment at All-Star Family Orthodontics, we’d like to congratulate you! Now that your braces have been removed, Dr. Vives will provide you with retainers. After braces are removed the teeth can shift out of position if they are not stabilized. Retainers provide that stabilization. They are designed to hold teeth in their corrected, ideal positions until the bones and gums adapt to the treatment changes. Wearing retainers exactly as instructed is the best insurance that the treatment improvements last for a lifetime. Here are some things to remember when you receiver your retainers:

* Wear your retainers full time, until Dr. Vives instructs otherwise.
* Take your retainers out when eating…and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
* Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and only a small amount of toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water. Retainers can also be cleaned by soaking them in a denture solution such as Polident or Efferdent (YES, we said denture solution!) as instructed.
* When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case.
* Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practicing speaking, reading, or singing aloud to get used to them quicker is a good idea.
* Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken, give us a call immediately.
* Try to remember to bring your retainers to your appointments.
* Retainer replacement is expensive…with proper care they will last for years!
* Remove retainers when swimming or during any sporting activity in which the retainers could fall out and get broken or lost (cheerleading, basketball, etc.) or when you should be wearing a mouth guard (football, soccer, etc.).
* Keep retainers away from hot water, pockets, the washing machine and napkins.

We hope this helps! You can always contact our team if you have any questions!

Dr. Vives selected as New Jersey's Favorite Kids' Docs!

Recently, Dr. Vives received a prestigious honor of being included on “The List” of New Jersey’s Favorite Kids’ Docs, and was featured in New Jersey Family Magazine’s December 2011 issue. The list includes the nearly 400 children’s doctors, dentists and other pediatric healthcare professionals in New Jersey, all of whom have been nominated by local patient and parents. Dr. Vives and our entire team at All-Star Family Orthodontics are thankful to be included in the group of “physicians who have earned the trust, admiration, and professional respect of moms.”

To learn more about New Jersey’s Favorite Kids’ Docs, head over to their web site. If you have any questions about New Jersey’s Favorite Kids’ Docs, or if treatment at All-Star Family Orthodontics is right for you, please give us a call!