Crack in plastic retainer

Retainers are metal or plastic pieces that are custom designed for every person. Two retainers will never be the same. There are mainly two main kinds of retainers; fixed and removable. While the removable retainers can be placed in and taken out, the fixed ones are custom-fitted and set to the upper or lower tongue-side teeth. Sometimes, a retainer is cracked only slightly, and it can be easily fixed at home by the method given below, only as long as it works fine.

At other times, you may need to visit your dental professional if the damage is beyond home repair. While dentists may be able to fix a retainer in most cases, sometimes the damage can be beyond repair. This means that even your dentist would not know how to fix it. So, in that case, your best bet will be to ask your dentist to make a new set of retainers for you as soon as they can.

The longer you wait and neglect the broken retainer, the worse are the chances of damage to your teeth. So be sure to act quickly because you cannot overlook a cracked retainer.

Even though dental plastics like retainers are often made of a flexible yet durable material, they sometimes can get cracked or broken. If the damage to your retainers is as minor as a crack or slight wear, follow these simple steps to fix it up quickly and easily.

If your permanent retainer is broken in a way that results in pain or swelling due to metal pieces cutting into your mouth or gums, you should seek medical help. Retainers are essential to the continued success of your orthodontic treatment, and you should respond quickly if they become damaged in any way.

Whether your broken retainer is plastic and removable, or a permanent retainer, you should always try to contact your orthodontist as soon as possible once you discover that your retainer is broken. They will then be able to give you a professional opinion on what you should do and whether you need to come into the office to either get your retainer fixed or to get a replacement retainer. In the meantime, you should be able to continue wearing a removable retainer as long as it is not broken into completely separate parts.

Finally, do not attempt to fix your retainer at home, as this will likely only lead to either further damage of your retainer or to the regression of your teeth to their previous placement. If you are worried about losing or breaking the retainer before starting your treatment, we have selected not only the brands that offer the best solutions to broken retainers protection plans, affordable retainers, etc.

Byte is a well-known brand for having the shortest treatment time at a competitive price. The brand offers 2 types of treatments: At-Day and At-Night treatment plans, both including the HyperByte device, the reason why you can achieve your perfect smile in 3 months average. If you lose or break your retainer, the only thing you will have to do is contact the brand, and they send you a FREE replacement if you are enrolled in the Byte Protection Plan.

If you lost or break your retainer, you only have to contact the brand, and they will send you a replacement immediately. The most affordable option among these brands is NewSmile, but its price is not the only benefit of choosing its alignment treatment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

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We have offices in Milwaukee, Brookfield, and Racine, and our talented orthodontist team is on staff to answer all of your questions. Here are four signs that you need to order a retainer replacement. There Are Small Cracks There are a couple different options for retainers. Get Your Retainer Replacement Today! Go to Top. Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy.

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Use plastic glue to fix small cracks in plastic. If you need to reconnect a crack in plastic, you can use plastic glue, which is specially formulated to bond plastic surfaces.

Plastic glue is often used for making models so it is easy to use and safe to handle for adults. Apply the glue to the edges of the crack. Squeezing the tube gently, spread a layer over the edges you will reconnect. Keep a cloth or wipe nearby in case you pour too much and dab any excess glue immediately to prevent it from hardening.

Glue dries fast to be sure you are ready to connect the cracked plastic before you start applying! Work in a well-ventilated area or wear a facemask when handling the glue.

Wear gloves when using strong glue to prevent it from getting onto your skin and becoming painful to remove. Connect the edges of the crack. With the glue spread on the edges, push them together to connect them. Line up the edges carefully. Apply pressure to the reconnected plastic for 1 minute to allow it to set and then gently release the pressure.

Allow the glue to fully cure. Different glues have different drying times, so check the packaging for specific drying time. Wait at least 1 hour before using the repaired plastic.

Method 2. Reconnect small cracks in plastic using hot water. Plastics often do not need extreme heat to become malleable enough to repair a crack. Soaking the plastic in hot water can make the plastic soft enough to mold and reconnect the edges of the crack. You can make the plastic set almost instantaneously by quickly submerging it in cold water.

Fill a container of hot water and a container of cold water. Fill a bowl or container with enough hot water to submerge the cracked piece of plastic.