Menu
An orthodontic retainer is a clear plastic oral device that you snap onto your teeth when you sleep. Your dentist will craft you the first set after completing braces or Invisalign. It’s a great way to prevent teeth shifting as your teeth will be protected all night with it. They can last a long time, but sometimes you may realize that you have a broken retainer. Here’s what to do next when this happens.
Once you’ve had your teeth shifted into the perfect place by your dentist through either aligners or braces, your dentist will craft a retainer for you to wear at night. These will be made from premium material that is strong against teeth shifting. It will fit tightly over your teeth and prevent micro-movement between them. Over time, the material will wear down due to teeth grinding and natural wear and tear. When you have a broken retainer, you’ll need to replace it immediately.
Here are a few fixes if you have a broken retainer. First, you’ll need to attempt to schedule an emergency appointment with your dentist. This will likely be costly, as they tend to schedule six months in advance so any visits that require special appointments will be billed higher. Your dentist can craft you a new retainer but they might want to complete X-rays or re-examine your teeth, especially if you’ve been without one for a while.
If your dentist does replace your broken retainer, make sure to get the molds from them. This should be free, and you can use these to order replacement retainers from SportingSmiles. Getting them online from a trusted company like SportingSmiles will be faster and more affordable. While this seems like the most logical way to fix it, there are other ways.
Replace your lost, cracked, gross, and damaged dental retainers with a new one from SportingSmiles. Prevent your teeth from shifting using the most durable clear retainers available. Take your own impression at home and save hundreds over going to the dentist. Impression kit included. Free Shipping in the United States. Free Storage Case 90-Day Warranty
You can try to fix your broken retainer by bonding, or gluing it back together. We do NOT recommend this, but if you attempt it, make sure that the glue that you use is dental glue and is created to be in your mouth. Do not use any toxic glue or adhesives as it can make you sick. This is an option, but you should do anything to avoid this. If you manage to glue it together, it will likely be uncomfortable and may irritate your gums.
If you have a broken retainer and continue to wear it, it may be uncomfortable. The cracks might be sticking out or it may have sharp edges on it now. Make sure you are keeping your teeth and gums protected from any pieces that may be sticking out. The only benefit to wearing it may be a small prevention of teeth shifting. You can wear it but get it replaced as soon as possible.
Another solution to help you if you have a broken retainer is to have a backup set on hand. This is the ideal situation for anyone who is going through an unexpected emergency. SportingSmiles understands the nature of retainers and that’s why reordering them is even more affordable as a repeat customer. Keep a backup pair on hand and you can wear those when you break or lose your first set.
Those are a few solutions for you happen to have a broken retainer, but we do have one last affordable fix. If your dentist is booked out and you need a replacement set, SportingSmiles can craft you a clear retainer to keep your teeth in place. This is the same one your dentist would craft, but at half the cost and completed all from the comfort of your home.
Retainers from the dentist can cost up to $1,100 in big cities. You’ll save hundreds of dollars with SportingSmiles retainers. They are crafted for maximum protection against teeth shifting and you can either use the patented impression kit, molds of your teeth that you can receive from your dentist, or STL files to use. If you want either of those, ask your dentist for them!
If you realize you have a broken retainer, get to the dentist but if you don’t want to pay the big bill or make an emergency appointment, you can get clear retainers from SportingSmiles. In a rush? We even offer Emergency Retainers that can be crafted and in your hands in 6-7 business days. Keep your teeth straight by wearing a retainer even through the dentist, or with SportingSmiles.
