If that got your attention, you may find this article posted on the Align Tech site interesting:
Dr. Doug Brandt discusses "Guidelines for Retention in the 21st Century". You can download the .PDF or just listen to it from the links posted here:
http://www.aligntechinstitute.com/Training/Pages/DisplayArchivedATE.aspx?courseid=106
His most important/enlightening points:
~ Relapse in orthodontics is universal
~ Your most stable tooth position is pretreatment
~ Genetics affect tooth position; lower lip & tongue both exert enough pressure to move teeth
~ excellent oral hygiene maintains supporting tissues so is most important during retention
~ Vivera can provide a re-alignment of up to .25 mm with full time wear in future relapse, so it's a "safety net"
~ the way Vivera is manufactured with a new set every 3 months, it's stronger than other clear appliances
With a scientific study of materials, a wear time schedule for Vivera Rx is:
1) 1st Retainer: day & night for 3 months
(going directly to overnight just won't work - & that makes TOTAL sense)
2) 2nd Retainer: day & night again for 3 months!
3) 3rd Retainer: nights only for 9 months
4) 4th Retainer: no less than 3 nights/week for 1 yr. 9 months
FINALLY - a definitive plan for retention...Gah! A bit too late in my own case, but my question posted over a year ago here is answered at last:
"With even the minimal shifting that will occur after wearing the Invisalign (or Essix) Retainers for a few months, once a new set is inserted your teeth are forced to "self correct" each time & go back to the way they were with your very last aligner in your treatment. How will this allow your roots to heal sufficiently & permanently if they are constantly getting shifted about - even if it is minimal shifting???"
Take heed all of you who are still in your treatment phase:
It is absolutely vital that your clinician's retention plan is fully discussed at the beginning of your treatment - no surprises in the end that way & you're going into Invisalign with both eyes wide open!
Which will ultimately keep you SMILING wide open for evermore...
it is YOUR responsibility.
4 comments:
Hi,
I have been looking at your blog ‘Smiling Wide Open’ and found it to be a wonderful exploration of your journey in straightening your teeth. Gives a real personal insight into how orthodontic treatment can make a real difference to a person’s smile, even if it can be a long and gruelling journey. The results make it worth the hassle in my opinion, and I hope you are enjoying the results. Your blog is a great help to many people in giving them the confidence to go ahead with dental treatment that may have been put off at one point, no matter what their age.
I am writing to you as I feel your followers could benefit from a link to the http://www.cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk/ which would not only give your followers access to information concerning orthodontic treatment like Invisalign and the Inman Aligner but about a whole host of cosmetic dental treatment.
The Cosmetic Dentistry Guide is the leading provider of cosmetic dental information online in the UK, and includes a forum as well as an expert answers section, so if you have any questions then feel free to ask one of our experts. I believe our information on would be advantageous to many of your blog readers.
Our topics include:
Orthodontics - http://www.cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk/orthodontics.html
Teeth Whitening - http://www.cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk/teethwhitening.html
Our homepage is: http://www.cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk/
I hope to hear from you soon and hope the retainer is not too much trouble for you.
Kind regards and keep up the good work with your blog.
Richard.
Richard ---
Thank you for your comments. My retainers are just a habitual part of my personal "routine", just as brushing my teeth is. As long as I wish my teeth to remain in place, they'll not be too much trouble.
One dentist on your forum stated it only took "6 weeks to straighten a clients teeth". Sounds wonderful! No matter how simple an individual's case, without referral to lifelong retention along with that claim is very misleading in my opinion.
The dentistry.com forum link I have posted is almost entirely patient feedback through their own experiences to other patients or those considering treatment - perspectives which I found to be most helpful while in active treatment myself.
I will leave your link visible here if it may help those seeking answers in the UK.
Regards,
AnneC
To document the quote from your forum I posted above:
http://www.cosmeticdentistryguide.co.uk/forum/clear-braces/44-inman-aligners.html#post172
(by forum Moderator Dr. Pav Khaira)
Hi Anne,
Thank you so much for you helpful info. I would like to know who/where your dentist is? My essix tray is rough and uncomfortable - I know there must be a dentist out there who can trim and polish one to be less damaging to my gums and tongue, or use another brand. I hope you can help me find one!
Thanks, Suzanne
Post a Comment