Teenagers and the discipline of wearing retainers

Adolescence is a stage of life characterized by changes in the body, emotions, and mind, which can be simply divided into 3 phases: early adolescence (ages 10 – 13), middle adolescence (ages 14 – 16), and late adolescence (ages 17 – 19). Being teenagers, they often pay attention to their appearance and want to do or have things like their friends. One popular thing is orthodontic treatment because they want beautiful teeth and smiles. Seeing friends with braces also makes them want to get braces too.
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It can be observed that after getting braces, some people take good responsibility for oral health care and are disciplined in attending dental appointments. However, there are also restless teenagers, or what is commonly known as “impatient teenagers”. Many want to finish orthodontic treatment quickly, and before it is completed, they do not want to wear the appliances, lack discipline, do not take good care of their oral health, do not cooperate in using orthodontic devices, miss dental appointments, do not follow the dentist’s instructions, or neglect oral hygiene. This can cause tooth movement to not follow the planned direction, leading to oral health problems and possibly prolonging the orthodontic treatment period. 
It is recommended that during orthodontic treatment, if patients attend dental appointments as scheduled, follow the dentist’s advice, and maintain good oral hygiene, most teeth will move as planned within the expected timeframe, allowing the removal of braces. However, it is necessary to wear a device known as a “retainer” because wearing a retainer helps keep the teeth in the desired position without shifting after braces are removed.
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<h2>Tips for Wearing a Retainer</h2>
<ul>
<li>Wear the retainer all the time, both day and night (for about 1 year)</li>
<li>Wear the retainer only at night (after wearing it for 1 year)</li>
<li>If you have worn it for a long time, it is not recommended to stop wearing the retainer because teeth may still be moving</li>
<li>Remove it while eating</li>
<li>Remove it when cleaning your mouth and brushing your teeth or flossing</li>
<li>Visit the dentist as scheduled for check-ups, adjustments, and retainer repairs</li>
</ul>
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Whenever we do not wear the retainer, teeth will shift from the desired position. Nowadays, there are many types of retainers to choose from, including fixed and removable types, ranging from clear plastic that fits over the teeth to colorful plastic with patterns and wires across the front of the teeth. Each type has its own advantages in different aspects. Sometimes, people may choose to use more than one type to maximize the benefits of wearing retainers.
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<h2>Two Teen Styles and Their Understanding of Orthodontics</h2>
<ol>
<li>Those who do not want to remove their braces and want to keep wearing them continuously. Medically, it is not recommended to wear braces indefinitely because it is difficult to clean, increasing the risk of cavities and tartar buildup. Once the teeth are properly aligned, it is better to remove the braces and wear a retainer to maintain the teeth’s position.</li>
<li>Those who do not want to wear a retainer because they feel annoyed by unclear speech, the tongue touching the retainer causing difficulty in pronunciation, pressure points causing pain, or other problems with the retainer. They may not want to visit the dentist for adjustments, decide to stop wearing the retainer on their own, or neglect retainer care, causing it to break, bend, or get lost. After not wearing the retainer for a while, they start to notice their teeth shifting from the original position, which may require redoing orthodontic treatment or accepting that their teeth are no longer perfectly aligned.</li>
</ol>
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If you want orthodontic treatment, you must accept the discipline of wearing a retainer after the treatment is completed in all cases and all types of orthodontics without exception. Especially if the retainer breaks or is damaged, it should be replaced as soon as possible to maintain the teeth in the desired position permanently. “If you want your teeth to stay beautiful for as long as possible, wear your retainer for that long.”

One of the most popular topics is orthodontics because people want to have beautiful teeth and smiles. Seeing friends get braces also makes them feel inclined to get braces like their friends.

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Teenagers and retainer-wearing discipline

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