WEAR IT: For the first month, Dr. Cooke recommends that you wear your retainer ALL THE TIME except when you eat and when you brush your teeth.  You might be challenged to speak clearly in the beginning.  This will won’t last long.  Within a few days, you will be able to speak normally and no one may even notice the retainer you are wearing. After the first month, your retainer should be worn 12 hours a day, with post people choosing to do 7pm at night to 7am in the morning. After two years, you can go to night time only FOREVER!

KEEP IT CLEAN: Brush your retainer with cool water and tooth paste every day.  Soak it in a dental cleanser or mouthwash periodically to keep it fresh.  NEVER place your retainer in hot water, as it may become distorted and require replacement. To find out more about cleaning your retainer, click HERE.

DON’T LOSE OR BREAK IT: The easiest way to avoid losing the retainer is simply by keeping it in your mouth.  It should always be worn as instructed or placed safely in the case provided.  When these rules are not followed, the retainer can be lost, sat on, or thrown away.  There will be additional charges to replace lost or broken retainers.  Please call immediately if you need a replacement so your teeth aren’t given a chance to move. 

DON’T ADJUST IT YOURSELF: If, for any reason, the retainers don’t fit properly, call us right away for an appointment.  We can adjust it for you!  Retainers are delicate appliances; do not try to adjust them yourself.

FOREVER SMILES – RETAINERS: Dr. Cooke understands the importance of retainer wear. She also knows that families are on budgets and can’t always afford to replace retainers. So in January 2020, she created a new program called Your Forever Smile. Read more about that here.