When Can You Wear Retainers After Wisdom Teeth Removal?
Retainers are used to keep teeth properly aligned. They’re usually prescribed after orthodontic treatment to keep your bite in place after it has been corrected.
A retainer is essential for your teeth, and skipping its use for even a single day can damage your teeth’ alignment. This is because your bite takes a few months to get fixed, and that’s only possible when you use a retainer daily.
So the question arises, when can you wear retainers after wisdom teeth removal? Here’s everything that you need to know regarding that question!
When can you wear retainers after wisdom teeth removal?
You can safely use the retainers within 24 hours after wisdom teeth removal; it won’t interfere with the healing process. However, you can wait up to a few more days or a week before using your retainer again if you feel discomfort.
But it’s always best to start wearing retainers a day after your surgery because skipping it may interfere with the treatment process.
Is a retainer harmful to the teeth extraction site?
The surgery site becomes sensitive to touch after the extraction.
Whether it is solid food, sweet juices, tongue, finger, or anything else, you need to avoid any complex flavors that might inflame your mouth for at least a day or more to let the wounds heal properly.
Talking about retainers, since they cover your teeth and molars, they may cause some irritation to the surgery site if you wear them immediately after the extraction.
For this reason, it is always good to wait for at least a day before you start wearing retainers again.
Retainers hurt after wisdom teeth removal – What to do?
If you had two or more wisdom teeth removed, you might feel irritation on the surgery site. This irritation may lead to severe pain if you wear a retainer.
Massaging with an ice cube over the cheeks may help reduce the pain.
If the retainer still hurts 2–3 days after extraction, visit your surgeon to fix the problem as soon as possible.
When can I wear Invisalign after wisdom teeth removal?
Invisalign is a retainer-like tooth straightening device, and you should avoid it for at least 24 hours after wisdom teeth removal as well.
However, it is advisable to consult your surgeon because Invisalign works differently than a retainer, so it may require a bigger gap after the extraction.
Should I still wear a retainer if my wisdom teeth are coming in?
Wisdom teeth take several weeks to come out entirely.
While growing, it may cause severe pain and other complications. If you experience pain or irritation while wearing a retainer, consult with your orthodontist and ask whether you should continue wearing it or not.
You can also ask your dentist to extract your emerging wisdom tooth if it is causing irritation while wearing a retainer.
Will my retainers still fit after a wisdom tooth grows?
It depends on what kind of retainers you have and how much it touches the extraction site.
It is important to have wisdom teeth checked to see if your jaw will have enough space for them. If you face any issues regarding fitting a retainer after extraction, visit your dentist to get the problem solved.
Can I still wear my broken retainer?
A broken retainer can hardly work because it has to fix into each teeth and molars, and if broken, it may not work correctly. It is best to have it fixed or ask your dentist for a new retainer if broken or damaged.
Can you ever quit wearing a retainer?
Retainers are given to fix bite and jaw problems, but it is also helpful against teeth biting and night grinding issues. For that reason, the dentist recommends using it for several years until we stop grinding our teeth.
Some people have to wear it for a lifetime if their bite problems do not get fixed.
Can I still wear my retainer even if it barely fits anymore?
If it doesn’t fit properly anymore, then it means your teeth have moved to an ideal place.
However, it is still advised to check yourself with a dentist to find out why it is not getting fixed because there could be many other reasons.
I have a gap in my teeth even after wearing a retainer – Why?
Retainers are not prescribed to fill the gap between your teeth, as their job is to fix your bite and jaw problems.
It is the job of braces to fix the gap in your teeth, not the retainer.
If you have a gap in your teeth even after orthodontic treatment, then consult with your orthodontic expert and tell him about the concerns you have regarding your treatment.
Why are my teeth sore after wearing my retainer at night?
Retainers put some pressure on your teeth because they need it to maintain your bite.
That can cause some pain or soreness over your gums.
You don’t need to worry about it because it is a sign that tells the retainer is working correctly.
Is there any alternate to retainers?
Retainers are usually used to correct the bite and jaw issues.
However, some retainer-like braces help to straighten teeth without braces.
One such is Invisalign, a transparent retainer-like device that aligns your teeth without needing any bracket, wires, or a lengthy procedure.
However, Invisalign is an expensive treatment, but it is worth fixing your teeth without letting others know you have orthodontic treatment.
The Bottom Line
Retainers are essential after orthodontic treatment, and you must wear them every day with your dentist’s recommendation.
However, for 24 hours, you should not wear them to protect your surgery site from any possible harm if you’ve recently undergone a wisdom teeth removal.
So always keep using your retainer except for one day after extraction to receive proper orthodontic treatment and gain a beautiful smile.
