Dentists recommend lifelong orthodontic treatment for straight teeth
Most people look forward to the day when they can have their braces removed and start flashing their brand new smile, but new guidelines from the British Orthodontic Society (BOS) may cause patients eagerly counting down the days to think twice about planning a celebration. Dentists are advising those who wear braces to continue using an orthodontic appliance for life in a bid to prevent the return of wonky smiles.
The BOS advises patients to continue treatment after their braces have been removed by wearing a specially designed orthodontic appliance. The good news is that retainers can be worn at night, so you don’t have to worry about hiding your new smile away or dealing with the hassle of wearing visible braces during the day.
The move comes after research suggested that 70 percent of patients require further treatment after a decade of not wearing a brace.
To make people aware of the importance of wearing retainers after orthodontic treatment, the BOS has launched a campaign called ‘Hold That Smile’, which has been endorsed by the British Dental Association and the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK.
Consultant orthodontist and BOS spokesman, Simon Littlewood, said that there is a real risk of undoing all the hard work achieved by braces if you don’t wear a retainer and research suggests that lifelong treatment is the best option. It used to be assumed that reaching a certain age guaranteed tooth stability, but this isn’t the case, and the advice is to continue wearing retainers to prevent relapse.
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