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Posts for tag: retainers

How Kathy Bates Retains Her Movie-Star Smile

By David Van Appledorn, DDS, PC
May 22, 2017
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: celebrity smiles   orthodontic treatment   retainers  
HowKathyBatesRetainsHerMovie-StarSmile

In her decades-long career, renowned actress Kathy Bates has won Golden Globes, Emmys, and many other honors. Bates began acting in her twenties, but didn't achieve national recognition until she won the best actress Oscar for Misery — when she was 42 years old! “I was told early on that because of my physique and my look, I'd probably blossom more in my middle age,” she recently told Dear Doctor magazine. “[That] has certainly been true.” So if there's one lesson we can take from her success, it might be that persistence pays off.

When it comes to her smile, Kathy also recognizes the value of persistence. Now 67, the veteran actress had orthodontic treatment in her 50's to straighten her teeth. Yet she is still conscientious about wearing her retainer. “I wear a retainer every night,” she said. “I got lazy about it once, and then it was very difficult to put the retainer back in. So I was aware that the teeth really do move.”

Indeed they do. In fact, the ability to move teeth is what makes orthodontic treatment work. By applying consistent and gentle forces, the teeth can be shifted into better positions in the smile. That's called the active stage of orthodontic treatment. Once that stage is over, another begins: the retention stage. The purpose of retention is to keep that straightened smile looking as good as it did when the braces came off. And that's where the retainer comes in.

There are several different kinds of retainers, but all have the same purpose: To hold the teeth in their new positions and keep them from shifting back to where they were. We sometimes say teeth have a “memory” — not literally, but in the sense that if left alone, teeth tend to migrate back to their former locations. And if you've worn orthodontic appliances, like braces or aligners, that means right back where you started before treatment.

By holding the teeth in place, retainers help stabilize them in their new positions. They allow new bone and ligaments to re-form and mature around them, and give the gums time to remodel themselves. This process can take months to years to be complete. But you may not need to wear a retainer all the time: Often, removable retainers are worn 24 hours a day at first; later they are worn only at night. We will let you know what's best in your individual situation.

So take a tip from Kathy Bates, star of the hit TV series American Horror Story, and wear your retainer as instructed. That's the best way to keep your straight new smile from changing back to the way it was — and to keep a bad dream from coming true.

If you would like more information about orthodontic retainers, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can learn more about this topic in the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Why Orthodontic Retainers?” and “The Importance of Orthodontic Retainers.” The interview with Kathy Bates appears in the latest issue of Dear Doctor.

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A Retainer Helps You Keep Your New Smile After Braces

By David Van Appledorn, DDS, PC
January 21, 2017
Category: Dental Procedures
Tags: orthodontics   retainers  
ARetainerHelpsYouKeepYourNewSmileAfterBraces

Moving your teeth to a more functional and attractive alignment is a big undertaking. You can invest months — even years — and a lot of expense to correct a bad bite. But all that effort could be for nothing if your teeth return to their original positions.

The very aspect of dental physiology that makes orthodontics possible can work against you in reverse. Your teeth are not actually rigidly fixed in the bone: they're held in place by an elastic gum tissue known as the periodontal ligament. The ligament lies between the tooth and the bone and attaches to both with tiny fibers.

While this mechanism holds the teeth firmly in place, it also allows the teeth to move in response to changes in the mouth. As we age, for example, and the teeth wear, the ligament allows movement of the teeth to accommodate for the loss of tooth surface that might have been created by the wear.

When we employ braces we're changing the mouth environment by applying pressure to the teeth in a certain direction. The teeth move in response to this pressure. But when the pressure is no longer there after removing the braces or other orthodontic devices, the ligament mechanism may then respond with a kind of “muscle memory” to pull the teeth back to where they were before.

To prevent this, we need to help the teeth maintain their new position, at least until they've become firmly set. We do this with an oral appliance known as a retainer. Just as its name implies it helps the teeth “retain” their new position.

We require most patients to initially wear their retainer around the clock. After a while we can scale back to just a few hours a day, usually at nighttime. Younger patients may only need to wear a retainer for eighteen months or so. Adults, though, may need to wear one for much longer or in some cases permanently to maintain their new bite.

Although having to wear a retainer can be tedious at times, it's a crucial part of your orthodontic treatment. By wearing one you'll have a better chance of permanently keeping your new smile.

If you would like more information on caring for your teeth after braces, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “The Importance of Orthodontic Retainers.”

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Archive:

  • 2019
      • February (2)
        • A Bonded Retainer Might be a Better Choice After Braces
        • National Children's Dental Health Month Highlights Importance of Baby Teeth
      • January (3)
        • Why Alfonso Ribeiro Is Grateful for Root Canal Treatment
        • Your Regular Dental Visits Might Change if You've had Gum Disease
        • Stay Hydrated in Winter for Better Year-Round Oral Hygiene
  • 2018
      • December (3)
        • Less-Invasive Pulp Capping Could Save Your Tooth
        • Bobby Bones Dances His Way to Dental Damage
        • Orthodontists Anticipate Future Facial Growth When Treating Poor Bites
      • November (3)
        • TMD and Fibromyalgia Could Share Links in Chronic Pain
        • Don't Let GERD Ruin Your Teeth's Health
        • Steely Dan Founder's Death Highlights Importance of Early Cancer Detection
      • October (3)
        • How to Maximize Your Child's Dental Health Potential
        • Understanding the Aging Process Leads to More Effective Orthodontics
        • 4 Signs Your Child May Have a Poor Bite
      • September (3)
        • In Today's NFL, Oral Hygiene Takes Center Stage
        • A Bonded Retainer Might Work for You after Orthodontic Treatment
        • Why Smoking and Dental Implants Don't Mix
      • August (3)
        • 'Tooth in One Day' Procedures Require Special Attention for Success
        • Julianne Hough Shares a Video - and a Song - After Wisdom Teeth Come Out
        • How to Treat the Problem of Teeth that Never Developed
      • July (3)
        • How to Reduce Tooth White Spots While Wearing Braces
        • Teenagers with Missing Teeth Usually Need a Temporary Restoration
        • A Royal Fix
      • June (3)
        • That Odd Looking Sore in Your Mouth is No Cause for Alarm
        • Gum Disease is Still a Threat to Your Dental Implants
        • The Right Treatment for Your Child's Injured Tooth Increases its Survival
      • May (4)
        • A Different Kind of "Chip Shot" for Pro Golfer Danielle Kang
        • Root Canal Awareness Week: A Time to Learn How Teeth Are Saved
        • See How Well You're Removing Daily Plaque with a Plaque Disclosing Agent
        • Your Child Isn't in Danger from X-Rays Thanks to the ALARA Principle
      • April (2)
        • 2.6 Million Fans 'Like' Justin Bieber's Chipped Tooth
        • 3 Situations for Seeing a Periodontist
      • March (3)
        • 3 Tips for Helping Your Kids Develop Great Tooth-Friendly Habits
        • A "No-Prep" Veneer Could Eliminate the Need to Remove Tooth Enamel
        • Skater Adam Rippon's World-Class Smile
      • February (2)
        • Cracked Mouth Corners can be Irritating - Here's How to Treat Them
        • Why a Bonded Retainer Might be a Better Choice After Braces
      • January (2)
        • Root Decay in Your Later Years Could Endanger Your Teeth
        • Expert Advice: Vivica A. Fox on Kissing and Oral health
  • 2017
      • December (2)
        • Have a Loose Tooth? You'll Need This Two-Phase Treatment to Save It
        • Certain People may Benefit from Antibiotics Before Implant Surgery
      • November (2)
        • Your Age Won't Necessarily Decide Against Straightening Your Smile
        • Game, Set, Match: Milos Raonic Says A Mouthguard Helps Him Win
      • October (2)
        • Increase Bone Mass for Dental Implants through Grafting
        • These 3 Tasks Show How Saliva is Amazing
      • September (2)
        • Take Proactive Steps to Protect Your Oral Health During Cancer Treatment
        • Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello Chips a Tooth, but Concert Still "Worth It"
      • August (3)
        • The 3 Top Causes for Tooth Sensitivity
        • Why Big Bang Theory Actress Mayim Bialik Couldn't Have Braces
        • A 4-Step Process for Achieving Your Highest Oral Health Possible
      • July (2)
        • Even Celebrities Like Jennifer Lawrence Aren't Immune From Bad Breath!
        • Professional Whitening Offers an Effective Way to Restore Your Smile's Luster
      • June (2)
        • Jamie Foxx Chips a Tooth - This Time by Accident!
        • Braces Take Advantage of Teeth's Natural Ability to Move
      • May (2)
        • How Kathy Bates Retains Her Movie-Star Smile
        • Children with Chronic Health Conditions may Need Extra Dental Care
      • April (2)
        • (Don't) Break It Like Beckham
        • Facial Nerve Pain can be Managed with Effective Treatment
      • March (2)
        • Life Is Sometimes a Grind for Brooke Shields
        • Safety is a Priority When Imaging Children's Teeth with X-Rays
      • February (3)
        • Noah Galloway's Dentally Dangerous Dancing
        • A Partial Denture Can Restore a Smile Marred by a Few Missing Teeth
        • Johnny's Teeth Aren't Rotten Any More
      • January (2)
        • A Retainer Helps You Keep Your New Smile After Braces
        • Any Time, Any Place: Cam Newton's Guide to Flossing
  • 2016
      • December (2)
        • Simplify Your Toothpaste Purchase by Looking for These Ingredients
        • Vivica's Veneers: the Making of a Hollywood Smile
      • November (3)
        • Extracting Certain Teeth can Boost Orthodontic Effectiveness
        • Dental Crowns for the King of Magic
        • Answering Your Questions about Your Upcoming Teeth Whitening
      • October (2)
        • Chrissy Teigen's Teeth-Grinding Troubles
        • Treating Gum Disease Important to Saving the Underlying Bone
      • September (2)
        • Dental Magic Transforms Smiles
        • Grafting can Help Regenerate Gum Tissue Lost Through Recession
      • August (2)
        • Kathy Bates Plays It Smart With Professional Teeth Whitening
        • Winning the War on Gum Disease Requires Post-Treatment Vigilance
      • July (3)
        • Jimmy Fallon Can’t Catch a Break - Except in His Tooth
        • Don't Forget Hidden Fluoride Sources Your Family Could be Ingesting
        • Sofia Vergara: 'Obsessed' With Oral Hygiene
      • June (2)
        • Antibiotic Resistance Requires Action - and a Change of Attitude
        • Dr. Travis Stork: Don't Ignore Bleeding Gums
      • May (2)
        • Your Case of Gingivitis Could Develop into Something More Harmful
        • Ariana Grande Breaks Free - of Her Wisdom Teeth
      • April (2)
        • There's a Good Reason for Adults to Consider Orthodontics - Better Oral Health
        • Master Illusionist Benefits from the Magic of Orthodontics
      • March (2)
        • A Retainer-Like Device can Preserve the Space Left by a Lost Primary Tooth
        • Tom Hanks' Abscessed Tooth Gets Cast Away
      • February (1)
        • While Usually Benign, Lichen Planus Lesions Should Still be Examined
      • January (3)
        • The Laser Revolution is Changing the Dental Healthcare
        • Jason Derulo's Ideal Match
        • Anchorage Devices Provide More Accuracy, Less Treatment Time for Braces
  • 2015
      • December (2)
        • Actor David Ramsey Discusses Baby Bottle Tooth Decay
        • There may be more to that Toothache that Suddenly Stops Aching
      • November (2)
        • Giancarlo Stanton Gets Major-League Mouth Protection
        • Crown Differences Could Ultimately Affect Your Cost
      • October (2)
        • New Front Teeth for a Teenaged David Duchovny
        • Don't Panic! Take Methodical Approach to Help Your Child Stop Thumb Sucking
      • September (2)
        • Spice Up Your Teeth
        • Know the Risks and Benefits for Same-Day Tooth Replacement
      • August (2)
        • America's (Dentists) Got Talent - for Fixing Damaged or Missing Teeth!
        • Some Birth Control Drugs Could Increase Risk of Gum Disease
      • July (3)
        • A Toothless Tiger?
        • Crown Lengthening Opens up New Teeth Restoration Possibilities
        • Beyonce Makes Flossing a Family Affair
      • June (2)
        • An Early Orthodontic Evaluation May Alert to Developing Bite Problems
        • Neil Patrick Harris: What the Oscars Host Treasures Most
      • May (2)
        • Setting the Record Straight on Root Canal Treatments
        • Nancy O'Dell on Making Oral Hygiene Fun for Kids
      • April (2)
        • Irritating Cold Sore Outbreaks can be Controlled Through Medication
        • Hilary Duff's Chipped Front Teeth Repaired with Veneers
      • March (2)
        • Work With Your Child's School to Encourage Healthy Snack Foods
        • Eden Sher and the Lost Retainer
      • February (3)
        • Customized Temporary Crowns let you 'Rehearse' Your Future Smile
        • No "Glee" in Tooth Grinding
        • Welcome to Our Blog

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