Correct Answers to the “Retainers Quiz”
- True or false: If you get braces, you won’t need a retainer.
- Why do we need retainers, if braces make corrections in our smiles?
- Clear retainers are made of what?
- Retainers come in which of the following size options?
- During meals, you should:
- Which of the following should you use to disinfect your retainer?
- How often should you disinfect your retainer?
- At first, your new retainer will:
- When should you wear your retainer?
- Not wearing your retainer right away after your braces come off:
Correct Answer!: Most people, after having braces removed, will need to use a retainer for a period of time.
Correct Answer!: Teeth begin to shift back to their original positions once braces are removed, and retainers prevent this.
Correct Answer!: When it’s warmed up, you can bite down on thermoplastic material, which will leave a permanent impression of your teeth once it cools.
Correct Answer!: Retainers are individually fitted based on molds taken of a patient’s mouth.
Correct Answer!: Keep your retainer in its protective casing during meals! If you wrap it up in a napkin, you can kiss it goodbye — you’ll spend the rest of your night digging through restaurant trash cans.
Correct Answer!: Disinfect your retainer by soaking it in hot — never boiling — water, preferably along with a denture cleansing tablet.
Correct Answer!: Disinfect your retainer with a cleansing soak every day if possible, or once a week at the very least.
Correct Answer!: Your new retainer will take some getting used to. Before too long, your mouth will adjust, and the saliva production will return to normal levels.
Correct Answer!: Every patient will have individual needs when it comes to retainer use — you may start off wearing it all the time, and then taper off to night-time use only.
Correct Answer!: Wear your retainer as soon as directed by your orthodontist, or your teeth and gums could revert back to their old positioning.
