The final stretch of your Laster Perfect Smile experience starts when you’ve finished your final clear aligner set. You’ve got your new perfect smile, and now it’s time to get your retainer. We will walk you through the entire retainer process of your Laster Perfect Smile Experience, and answer any questions you may have.
The LPS Retainer Experience
Like other orthodontic treatment plans, you’ll need to get fitted for a retainer after you’ve finished your last Laster Perfect Smile clear aligner set. Retainers keep your newly molded teeth in place and keep them from shifting back to their original position. Most orthodontists will usually recommend either a fixed or removable retainer based on factors like your age, the orthodontic treatment you received, and personal preference.
When it comes to his Laster Perfect Smile patients, Dr. Laster uses clear removable retainers to keep your new smile in place. These removable retainers are offered to Laster Perfect Smile patients for free. With other clear aligner systems like Invisalign, you’ll be charged an additional fee (most cases are hundreds of dollars) for retainers.
If you would like a permanent retainer, or if Dr. Laster thinks you would benefit from a permanent retainer instead of just a removable retainer, he will discuss the procedure with you. Many adolescent patients, patients whose teeth were difficult to shift, or patients whose teeth don’t want to stay in place are better suited for a permanent retainer. Like the removable retainers, LPS patients can receive permanent retainers at no additional cost.
Because your Laster Perfect Smile retainer is made from an intraoral scan, Dr. Laster can provide you with your 3D scan along with your retainer. This makes it easy to replace your retainer if you ever lose or break one.
Final Laster Perfect Smile Appointment
You made it! You’ve survived awkwardly drooling on yourself while trying to discreetly remove your aligners at restaurants, so now what, you ask? Freedom and your perfect smile.
At your final Laster Perfect Smile appointment, the first thing Dr. Laster will is have you pop-out your final aligner tray for a final oral examination. Dr. Laster wants to make sure that your teeth are in their anticipated final position, and that no additional trays are needed before issuing your retainer. If a need for further treatment is found, you will be given another aligner set to wear, and Dr. Laster will discuss the new plan for your perfect smile. If Dr. Laster determines that your teeth are in their proper final position and need no further adjustment, you will continue with the retainer process and have your buttons removed.
Each of the clear buttons are drilled down painlessly, and your teeth are polished to remove any glue residue. Once Dr. Laster approves your new smile, you will be given your retainers to test for proper fitting.
Retainer Materials
Your Laster Perfect Smile retainers are removable, and have a similar look and feel to your clear aligners. Your retainers, however, will not have the button grooves on them like the aligners. Laster Perfect Smile retainers are made from Essix or Zendura plastic. You will receive a top and bottom retainer for your new smile at your final appointment. If your retainer isn’t fitting properly, you may need to do an additional iTero 3D scan so Dr. Laster can make final adjustments to make your retainer fit perfectly.
Many patients grind their teeth in their sleep. For patients that have this problem, Dr. Laster will use Essix plastic, which is thicker than Zendura, or an acrylic splint to allow patients to wear their retainers while they sleep worry-free.
Once your retainer fits perfectly, the Laster Orthodontics team will congratulate you on completing the Laster Perfect Smile experience!
Caring for Your Retainer
When it comes to caring for your retainer, you should follow similar care steps like those for your clear aligners. Dr. Laster provides a case for your retainer so that you can easily store it when not in use. Here are some care tips for your Laster Perfect Smile retainer:
- Brush and Floss Before Use – Brushing and flossing well before bed when you use your retainer will keep plaque, food particles, and bacteria from getting trapped in your retainer.
- Rinse Well with Cold Water After Wear – Rinsing your retainer thoroughly with cold water once you take it out in the morning will keep dried saliva from building up on the plastic.
- Never Rinse Your Retainer with Hot Water – Using hot water to rinse your retainer could cause the plastic to warp.
- Clean Your Retainer After Each Use – After rinsing your retainer with cold water, you’ll want to clean it to disinfect the plastic and keep bacteria from building up. You can use antibacterial soap, white vinegar soak, or denture cleaner to keep your retainer clean and free of bacteria.
- Keep Your Retainer in the Provided Case When Not in Use – People are forgetful, and there’s nothing worse than ruining your smile by losing a retainer. Keep your retainer in the case provided by Dr. Laster when not in use.
If you’re considering clear aligner treatment for your smile, you may feel overwhelmed with options. Unsafe, mail-order aligners from Smile Direct Club and pricier Invisalign clear aligners are not your only two options. Laster Perfect Smile clear aligners are the affordable, discreet way to achieve a perfect smile.
At Laster Orthodontics, we help families develop healthy, life-changing smiles using customized treatments, cutting-edge technologies, and caring relationships. Our individualized treatment plans help our patients achieve their perfect smile in the quickest, most painless way possible by utilizing a wide range of options from traditional braces to Propel accelerated treatment to Dr. Laster’s in-house aligner program, Laster Perfect Smile. With three locations throughout the Triangle Area, we create life-changing smiles every day.