You've worked hard for your beautiful smile; keep it that way!
Finally, your braces have been removed and your smile is beautiful, straight, and best of all, metal-free! However, your orthodontic journey isn't quite completed. To keep your smile looking its best, you'll have 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 braces 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.
Aligner-style retainers look similar to clear aligners and offer a more aesthetic alternative to wire retainers. This clear retainer fits over the entire arch of your teeth and is produced from a mold of your newly aligned teeth.
Fixed retainers consist of wires bonded behind the bottom and/or top teeth. This style of retainer is often kept in place for life.
Removable retainers are worn at night and can be removed for eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing. Because they can be misplaced or damaged when not being worn, they should always be stored in their protective case. Fixed retainers remain bonded to the teeth and do not need to be removed or inserted daily, but they do require extra attention when brushing and flossing to keep the area around the wire clean and free of plaque and tartar buildup.
