Achieving a beautiful, straight smile with braces or clear aligners is an amazing transformation. After all, caring for the health of your smile is an investment in your long-term oral and overall health.

Now that you have a smile to be proud of, it’s important to ensure your newly-straightened teeth stay that way by wearing your retainer consistently. But what if your retainer is causing you pain or discomfort? Check out these facts from the trusted team at PureSmile on what to do when it hurts to wear your retainer.

Is Pain Caused By a Retainer Normal?

Discomfort caused by a retainer isn’t uncommon. Just like when you first got your braces put on, a brand-new retainer can often feel tight on your teeth or even make them feel tender or sore.

In most cases, this discomfort resolves itself after a week or two as your teeth adjust to their new position. Additionally, not wearing your retainer as directed or not properly caring for it can also contribute to pain.

Common Causes of Retainer Pain

The best way to ensure that your retainer fits properly and doesn’t cause pain is to wear it as directed. This is especially important right after your braces are removed since your teeth haven’t settled into their new, permanent position.

If you do not wear your retainer as recommended by your orthodontist, you can expect your teeth to move. When they do, your retainer may not fit over your teeth as intended since they were molded perfectly to the position of your straight smile.

Likewise, not caring for your retainer can lead to an improper fit and discomfort when it’s worn. Exposing a clear retainer to hot beverages or the hot water in a washing machine can cause it to warp and never fit the same way again.

For wire retainers, the way in which you insert and remove them matters; handling them the incorrect way can lead to the retainer changing shape and putting pressure on your teeth in a way that causes pain. 

Managing Retainer Pain

If your teeth are uncomfortable from wearing a new retainer, chances are that the discomfort will resolve on its own after a few days. In the meantime, it’s best to stick to soft foods and take over-the-counter pain medications, if necessary. If the discomfort is still there after a few weeks, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your orthodontist to make sure that the retainer fits properly.

If your retainer hurts to wear it after not wearing it as intended, you should also consult your orthodontist to determine how much your teeth have shifted. In some cases, the person may simply have to resume wearing their retainer more frequently until their teeth shift back into place and the discomfort disappears. Others may have to have a new retainer made or even undergo treatment to correct their smile once again.

For retainers that are misshapen, broken, or old, it’s important to have them replaced right away. Along with causing discomfort, an ill-fitting retainer can lead to your teeth shifting out of place.

PureSmile Is Here to Help

If your retainer is causing you pain for any reason, the trusted team PureSmile can help. We are proud to work with board-certified orthodontists who are well-equipped to identify the cause of pain from wearing a retainer. Our team can offer a quick, effective treatment plan personalized to your particular needs.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment and restore the comfort of your retainer sooner rather than later!