Orthodontic Retention
You’ve put in a lot of effort to get your lovely grin; keep it up!
At last, your braces were removed, revealing a gorgeous, straight, and metal-free grin! Your orthodontic adventure, however, isn’t yet complete. You’ll need to wear a retainer to protect and solidify your results and keep your smile looking great. To manage or minimize possible changes in tooth position, retainers are required. They’re used following braces treatment to keep teeth in their proper alignment while the gums, bone, and muscle around them adapt to the new position of your teeth.
Types of Retainers
Retainers are built to order and may be either detachable or permanent.
- A metal wire wraps the front teeth and is linked to an acrylic arch that rests on the roof of the mouth like traditional detachable retainers. During the retention phase, the metal wires may be tweaked as required.
- Essix retainers, also known as aligner-style retainers, resemble transparent aligners and are a more attractive alternative to wire retainers. This transparent retainer may be worn across your whole arch or only from canine to canine (clip-on retainer). It’s made from a mold of your straightened teeth.
- Fixed retainers are made comprised of wires that are fastened behind the bottom and/or top teeth.
Pros and Cons
- Removable retainers may be removed for eating and personal hygiene.
- Removable retainers are easy to lose, so keep yours in the case anytime you take them out to eat or clean your teeth.
- Teeth with fixed retainers need a little more care while flossing to avoid tartar buildup. Floss threaders are often used by patients with permanent retainers to transfer dental floss through the tiny crevices between the retainer and the teeth.