Quality Treatments from Your Local Fairlawn, OH Orthodontists
With multiple locations in Fairlawn and Cortland, OH, Drs. Najem & Lehky Orthodontics is the leading orthodontic practice for kids, teens, and adults residing in the greater Northeastern Ohio area. Drs. Wade J. Najem and Lisa A. Lehky are both highly respected orthodontists with a team of trained professionals helping them throughout their patients' treatment. We specialize in an array of advanced treatment options including:
We maintain a customer care-oriented policy at our office so that we are able to personally give attention to each patient's individual orthodontic needs. Our services extend beyond the time your braces are taken off. Please read more for information about receiving and wearing your retainers.
Retention Stage of Treatment
Your orthodontic treatment isn't over when your braces are taken off. Our philosophy is, so long as you are interested in straight teeth you will always have a set of retainers that fit. After giving you one of our high quality retainers, we expect you to wear them 24/7 for the first year and nights only in the second year. Your final orthodontic result depends on your retainers, so please make sure to follow through with the hard work you've put in so far. After one year of full-time and one year of night time retainer wear, you can try every other night or once a week. Think about comparing the fit of your retainer to the fit of your favorite pair of jeans, if after a period of time you put those jeans on and they are tight or loose you know you've gain or lost weight, so if after a few day of not wearing your retainer(s) they're either to tight or too loose you know your teeth are trying to moved and you need to wear your retainer(s) more often to assure your teeth stay straight. Retainers become like your insurance policy against tooth movement. Also, remember to remove your removable retainer(s) before eating and brushing them and your teeth before place them back in your mouth.
Hawley & Ricketts (Removable) Retainers
The Hawley and Ricketts Retainers are one of the most common types of retainers that patients receive after treatment.
- It is a removable retainer made of a combination of metal wires and sturdy acrylic, and is designed to keep your teeth in place. We will ask you to wear it 24/7 except for when you eat for the first year following band removal and nights only during the second year. You will be given a retainer case to keep your retainers in when not wearing them.
- This retainer is specially made from impressions of your teeth so that it fits snugly and comfortably in the roof of your mouth, while any wire or acrylic framing keeps your teeth in perfect position.
- The acrylic can also be personalized with a large number of colors.
- Do not wrap them in a napkin when you are out to eat or in the school cafeteria, the risk of tossing them in the trash is a given.
- Do not put them in your pocket or in a purse if not in the retainer case.
- Do not leave them in your car in the summer, the heat in the car will warp them.
- Clean them often by brushing with toothpaste and water, they can be soaked in mouthwash.
- Keep them away from pets. Your saliva makes them smell like food to your dog or cat and they will chew them up, sometime even when they are in the retainer case.
- There is only two places for your retainer..."In your case or in your face"
Tru-Tain (Clear) Retainers
The Tru-Tain retainer is a transparent removable retainer that fits over the entire arch of teeth.
- Similar to Invisalign® trays, Tru-Tain retainers have no wires.
- They are less expensive and easy to wear.
- They can be used for other treatments as well, including tooth movement and bleaching.
- The care and cleaning instructions are the same as with the Hawley and Ricketts retainers
Fixed (Bonded) Retainers
Bonded Lower Lingual Retainers are bonded directly to the inside surface of your lower front teeth. They are attached to your teeth in order to prevent any shifting. This retainer can be left in place indefinitely, with proper cleaning and flossing around the retainer to maintain your dental health, this retainer becomes the best guard against tooth movement. The lower teeth are the most susceptible to relapse and not having to worry about a lost or broken retainer, this retainer is the number one choice of our office and most Orthodontist. However, patients with Bonded Lower Lingual Retainers must be careful with what they eat because, hard, sticky foods can bend the wire and cause teeth to shift.
If any of the bond spots come off, please call us immediately to schedule an appointment to replace the bond so that your teeth don't shift.
Schedule an Appointment at Your Local Akron & Cortland, OH Orthodontic Office!
At the orthodontic practice of Drs. Najem and Lehky, we provide personalized orthodontic care to young, adolescent and adult patients in the surrounding areas of Fairlawn and Cortland, OH. In addition to braces, we also offer advanced retention treatment to ensure that your beautiful results will last a lifetime. Please contact us at any of our locations to schedule an appointment today!