Orthodontic Retention

You've worked hard for your beautiful smile; keep it that way!

Congratualations, your orthodontic treatment is completed and your smile is beautiful and your teeth are straight! However, your orthodontic journey isn't quite over. To keep your smile looking its best, you'll need to wear a retainer to preserve and stabilize your results. Retainers are needed to control or limit potential changes in tooth position. They are used after orthodontic treatment to hold teeth in their correct alignment while the surrounding gums, bone, and muscle adjust to the new positioning of your teeth.

Types of Retainers

Retainers are custom-made and can be removable or fixed.

• Traditional removable retainers typically include a metal wire that surrounds the front teeth and is attached to an acrylic arch that sits on the roof of the mouth. The metal wires can be adjusted to hold tooth alignment as needed.
• Aligner-style retainers, or Essix retainers, look similar to clear aligners and offer a more aesthetic alternative to wire retainers. This clear retainer may fit over the entire arch of your teeth, or only from canine to canine (clip-on retainer). It is produced from a mold of your newly aligned teeth.
• Fixed retainers consist of wires bonded behind the bottom and/or top teeth.