An orthodontic relapse often occurs when your teeth shift back into the original position after undergoing orthodontic treatment for some time. For instance, after wearing braces for months, you can achieve that perfect alignment for your teeth, only for them to rotate back to their original positions after a few months. Here are tips for managing orthodontic relapse:
Reinstate Retainers
Orthodontists recommend retainers to ensure that your teeth maintain their new position. If you are not wearing your retainers, your orthodontist can advise you to reinstate them. You can be advised to either select a fixed or removable retainer. You must follow the instructions given by your orthodontist on how long you can wear the retains. Most orthodontists will advise you to wear the retainers full-time initially, but you can gradually reduce them to just nighttime after some time.
Proper Retainers Care
Ensure you clean your retainers regularly to prevent odors and bacteria buildup. It would be best to brush them gently using a soft toothbrush or a specialized retainer cleaner. Next, rinse those retainers with cold water. Proper maintenance of retainers ensures your teeth stay well-aligned after an orthodontic treatment.
Re-Treatment
In some cases, if you fail to maintain your retainers properly, significant relapse will occur. Misalignment of your teeth can occur even after months of treatment with braces. In such a scenario, your orthodontist can advise you to undergo a re-treatment to correct the changes in your tooth alignment. Most of the relapse issues can be managed with clear aligners. The treatment time will also be shorter compared to the initial treatment with braces.
The most fundamental way to manage an orthodontic relapse is to ensure you monitor the progress of the alignment. If you ignore the problem, it will make the issue problematic. Of course, you do not want to see a relapse after achieving straight and well-aligned teeth.