Fig. 8: Retainer cases don't have to be boring. Patients can choose from a number of cute and stylish designs of retainer cases made by The Smiling Box. Fig. 9: Keep retainers and aligners totally safe and secure with the Retain-It zippered clip-on retainer case. couple of stylish new alternatives that patients can purchase them-selves. SmilingBox retainer cases sport a variety of modern, fashion-able printed designs on their lids, and are particularly popular with teens and young adults (Fig. 8). Retain-It is a zippered retainer case holder made of neoprene which includes a sturdy carabiner clip (Fig. 9). Retain-It is great product for kids who want to securely clip their retainer cases to their back-packs or belts. Adult Patients vs Children It's frustrating when your orthodontic patients don't pay close attention to their oral hygiene, or become non-compliant. As you would imagine, adult patients tend to be more serious about their oral hygiene than chil-dren or teenagers. This is partly because adults are paying for the treatment themselves – and because they tend to have a lower tolerance for oral discomfort than kids. Adults generally take a closer interest in their treatment. They appreciate when you take the time to explain why you are using a thicker arch wire, or why they need to wear elastics in specific positions. Children and teenagers may not understand or be as interested – so it's important that you relay any important informa-tion directly to their parents, if possible. That way, you can avoid this scenario: Parent: What did the orthodon-tist tell you? Child: I dunno....something about brushing. Many orthodontic patients are confused about caring for their new braces. Most people don't realize at first that they can't floss normally with braces on their teeth, or that they need to brush differently. Take the time to demonstrate how to use a floss threader, how to use dental wax, and how to brush the brackets. If the patient is a child, make sure you show their parent how to do these things, too! A slick handout with instructions is nice, but nothing is better than a live demonstration! 24 September/October 2013 JAOS
Journal of the American Orthodontic Society September-October 2013: Page 24
