Orthodontic Retention

orthodontic retention

Once your braces have been removed, revealing your radiant, metal-free smile, your orthodontic journey isn’t quite finished. To uphold and stabilize your results, the use of a retainer is essential. Retainers play a crucial role in controlling or preventing potential shifts in tooth position, ensuring that your teeth remain properly aligned while the surrounding gums, bone, and muscles adapt to their new arrangement.

TYPES OF RETAINERS

Retainers are individually tailored and come in two varieties:

  1. Conventional Removable Retainers: These retainers feature a metal wire encircling the front teeth and an acrylic arch situated in the roof of your mouth. The metal wires can be adjusted to complete treatment and make minor front teeth adjustments if necessary.
  2. Aligner-Style Retainers (Essix Retainers): These retainers resemble clear aligners and provide a visually appealing alternative to wire retainers. They can encompass the entire arch of your teeth or only span from canine to canine. Essix retainers are custom-crafted based on a mold of your newly aligned teeth.
  3. Fixed Retainers: These retainers comprise wires bonded behind the lower and/or upper teeth. While they are typically necessary for about a year after wisdom teeth removal, they are often retained permanently.

PROS AND CONS

  • Removable Retainers: They can be taken out for eating and oral hygiene. However, they can be easily misplaced, so it’s essential to store them in their case when not in use.
  • Fixed Retainers: Ideal for those who prefer the convenience of not having to remove them daily. However, maintaining oral hygiene around fixed retainers requires extra attention, often involving the use of floss threaders to pass dental floss through the narrow spaces between the retainer and teeth.