Orthodontic Retainers

All patients that complete their orthodontic treatment will require some form of retention to ensure that the teeth remain in their new corrected position. All teeth have a memory and over time would prefer to move back towards their original position.

At your assessment visit with us, when your proposed treatment is being discussed you will also be informed of the different types of retainers and what would be appropriate for you. There is a huge variability for an individual’s requirements for retention. Some require permanent retention and a minority of patients require much less retention.

There are removable, permanent, invisible and a combination of all three types of retainers:

For teeth that originally had wide gaps between them or had a severe rotation we routinely place an invisible wire on the tongue surface of the teeth and this remains there indefinitely.

The most common retainer type is like a thin gum shield.

For cases that required a lot of expansion we sometimes fit a more traditional type of retainer with acrylic on the palate and a wire on the outside of the front teeth.

Because teeth have an inherent desire to move and drift throughout life and have a natural tendency to become more crowded with time, regardless of whether braces have been worn. No tooth position can be guaranteed to stay static, however, with long-term retainer wear it is unusual for teeth to alter to the extent that further treatment is required.

Taking care of your retainer will allow your treatment results to last long-term and your reward is a healthy and beautiful smile.

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