Arch Dental Orthodontic Appliances Transpalatal Arch TPA Palatal

• The removal of corrective appliances is an important step of an orthodontic treatment, but it does not mean that it is finished. Although the end of the corrective phase is the ultimate goal for the patients, maintaining the corrections obtained during the retention phase is as important.

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• To ensure that the corrections stay as stable as possible, a regular follow-up with the orthodontist is required for a certain period of time after the end of the treatment.

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• Control visits, a lot less frequent than during the treatment, are essential.

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• Each time you visit your general dentist, ask him (or his hygienist) to verify the integrity and solidity of the fixed retention splints or wires and ensure that they are well bonded. It is not always obvious for a patient to detect micro-fractures or the debonding of a splint on only one tooth. To learn more on broken retention appliances.

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• Frequency of visits:
  • When the corrective appliances are removed, fixed retention appliances and a removable upper clear retainer are immediately installed during this same visit. Certain special appliances, used in certain cases, take longer to make and are more complex to make in the lab and will be installed one or two weeks later.
  • A few weeks (2 or 3) after the corrective appliances are removed, we will see the patients again to take the final diagnostic material that allows us to document the results obtained during the treatment and will be used as a future reference to verify the stability of the corrections.
  • The patients are then re-evaluated after ± 3 months to verify the stability of the corrections and the integrity of the retention appliances.
  • If everything is OK and the corrections are stable, the patient may be seen again after ± 12 months and once per year afterward.
• Depending on the patient’s age and the type of malocclusion corrected, the “official” follow-up may end after ± 2 years for the adult patients having finished growing, but may still last for several years for those whose growth is still active.

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• During the post-treatment follow-up, recommendations will be made about the wisdom teeth and a panoramic radiograph will be taken every few years if indicated.

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• It is important to always bring your removable appliance(s) for us to verify them during the control visits.

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• Once the last recommendations are made, growth is completed and the wisdom teeth’s fate is handled, it is not necessary for the patient to be followed regularly and may come back only if needed if problems arise with his/her retention appliances (breakage, debonding, which will occur one day or another) or if he/she is worried about significant changes in his/her occlusion that occurred.

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• This retention protocol may slightly vary from one patient to another depending on their condition and may vary from one orthodontist to another.



 
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