Permanent retainers are great appliances that can help you keep your teeth nice and straight after you get your braces removed. They are thin metal wires that are cemented across the backs of your front teeth to keep them in position. Each day, plaque and food particles get trapped under or around the appliance, so it’s important to floss it regularly. To help you do so, our orthodontist, Dr. Traci Saito, has some tips for you.

First, ask our orthodontic team for a floss threader. A floss threader is a thin, loop-shaped tool that is very flexible. This tool can help you easily place the floss.

Then, thread your floss through the looped portion of the tool. When you’re ready, thread the pointed part of the tool through the space between your teeth and under the retainer. Pull the tool all the way through but keep the floss between your teeth by holding onto one end. This should make the floss strung correctly between the two teeth and under the wire.

Then, send the floss along the gumline and on the sides of the teeth to properly clean the space. When you’re done, just pull one side of the floss until it comes out of the crevice and then repeat these steps for the other teeth influenced by the retainer.

If you have any questions or if you would like to know more about how to floss around permanent retainers in Vancouver, Washington, please reach out to Brown-Saito Orthodontics at 360-256-7220 at your earliest convenience. Our orthodontic team will be more than happy to help you!