how do retainers work?
There are 2 types of retainers in AbacusLaw. One is a retainer you want refreshed or billed every billing period and the other is a manual retainer. For the “monthly/minimum retainer, enter the amount you want refreshed every month on the matter screen. Enter the manual retainer as the unbilled Client Expense Code RET, in Cost & Adjustments under the Billing drop down menu. You can use the two in conjunction. Unbilled retainers (manual) are deleted when the bill they appear on is posted.
I just got my braces off a few months ago and have retainers now…are those the types of retainers you are talking about? Well, after you get your braces off, wearing the retainers 8-10 hours a day (usually while you’re sleeping) helps to keep your teeth straight like they were when you had braces on again. It’s almost like putting your braces back on for a while. At first when you get your braces off (if you have them) your teeth will move around a lot….if I went about 6 hours without retainers, I’d start getting a small space between my teeth. But that ended in about a week or two, and my teeth became more stable. All you do is put the retainers in your mouth when you go to bed (they don’t hurt) and wake up and take ’em out. It will take a while to learn to talk with them in, but since you’re wearing them to bed, you won’t be doing much talking anyway. Oh, and one more thing…NEVER wear them when you’re eating…
Your braces moved your teeth into correct alignment. If you were to end your treatment now your teeth would most certainly return to their original positions. Retainers hold your teeth in their new positions while the bones stabilize. Remember that your teeth can continue to shift throughout your life. Not wearing your retainers can prevent them from fitting and will result in the need for new retainers or possibly further treatment. HOW LONG MUST RETAINERS BE WORN? • For the first 6 months you need to wear your retainer 22 hours a day. This first 6 months are very critical as your teeth have just acquired their new positions and are very prone to movement. During the first 6 months, your retainers should only be removed for eating or cleaning. • After the first 6 months, you can slowly start to initiate a part-time schedule for wearing your retainers. Start by wearing your retainers 10-12 hours at night.
The firm charges retainers for engagements that require dedicated involvement several days per month over the long term. These engagements typically involve augmenting and enhancing the client’s marketing capabilities, or redesigning their marketing organization and strategic plans. Clients may think of this long-term arrangement as time-sharing a vice president of marketing. This is a popular solution for organizations that want high-end direction but can’t justify the salary of another senior officer, or that want to extend the capabilities of their current leadership team.
