How to wear Hawley Retainer

A retainer is a personalised item that is worn once when braces are removed to “retain” or keep the alignment of your teeth. When you properly place it in your mouth, the modifications from your braces will remain in place, and your teeth will remain in excellent condition. The Hawley retainer & Clear retainer are the two most common forms of retainers. Each design may be worn on the bottom side of your teeth.

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The steps for fitting a Hawley Retainer are as follows:

1. Check to see if you’re wearing a Hawley retainer.

This is constructed of metal and plastic. The interior of your mouth is sculpted by the plastic portion. The metal wires should wrap over your front teeth (typically the very first six), with additional wires in the rear to keep it securely in position over your rear teeth.

2. Make sure you have a good grip on your retainer

You’ll need to know if the retainer is for your upper or lower tooth row. The middle plastic arches should be facing down and up towards to the line of teeth it will secure. Ascertain that the metal bar is pointing out toward your mouth.

3. Insert the retainer into your mouth and bite down

Check to see if it’s near to the proper set of teeth. Hold it in place for a few seconds – this is a brief way to ensure you get it all the way on. (Do not really need to use more power; if you don’t insert it properly, you may injure your gum-line). In a mirror, check your posture while expanding your mouth widely.

4. Place your retainer over your teeth.

After you’ve put it in the mouth, do this right away. Check that the plastic arches easily fits through into roof or bottom of the mouth, that a front wire fits snugly across your frontal teeth, and also that the rear wires fit snugly around your back teeth. If the retainer isn’t fitting properly, contact your dentist or orthodontist for a correction. The wire between the teeth or the plastics in the mouth might be the source of this problem.

5. Tightly fit the retainer on the back teeth

If necessary, press it into position with your fingertips. Biting the retainer into place might cause it to break. When it’s in position, you must feel the sound of a click. You should really see the dentist or orthodontist to modify your retainer if it is slipping out and doesn’t stay in the position.

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Dr. Zita Antao

A confident Healthcare Professional with over 8 years’ experience successfully diagnoses & treats patients’ dental conditions. Skilled in Endodontics, Implantology, Healthcare, and Surgery, a confident communicator who can relate well to dental patients. Having a proven ability to ensure that dental practices in surgery are continuously updated to provide first-rate care to patients and their families.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Hawley retainer work?

Hawley retainers are most widely recognized. Accessible with different highlights (some are less visible, for instance), Hawley retainers utilize a metal wire to hold the six anterior teeth in place, with an acrylic arch held to the top of the mouth. The metal wire can be changed in accordance to help shift teeth in the correct direction.

Is your retainer supposed to touch the top of your mouth?

At first, it might feel like there is a space between an upper retainer and the top of your mouth. As the retainer settles over a couple of days this inclination will disappear. Try not to flip the retainer with your tongue. This could harm the retainer as well as your teeth.

Can I sleep with Hawley retainer?

The traditional retainer is known as a Hawley retainer and has a wire outwardly and plastic within. These are normally worn full-time for a small period of time once your braces are removed and then only worn during sleep.

How tight should a retainer be?

Your retainer should feel somewhat tight at first; this is ordinary. On the off chance that your retainer doesn’t appear to loosen up or fit more conveniently with time, this may show that your retainer doesn’t fit as expected.

Will my teeth shift without retainer for 2 weeks?

In the event that you skip or lose your retainer for seven days, it’s possible to have some small amount of relapse. Like we said before, teeth can move back to their initial position without a retainer to give direction and pressure.