Will I Need to Wear a Retainer After Braces?

April 19, 2023

One of the most common questions that patients, prospective patients, and family members ask our orthodontist at Orthodontics, Inc. is whether they will need to wear a retainer once our treatment has concluded. After wearing braces for a period of time, it’s not surprising that the patient is hoping the process is complete.

In truth, wearing a retainer is a necessary part of the continuing maintenance of our treatment. After we’ve straightened your teeth, we need to make sure that they stay that way. Keep in mind that the positions of our teeth keep changing over time, and the retainer is designed to keep them from reverting to their original places. We prescribe retainers to give the foundational bone the chance to rebuild and mature. Trust our orthodontic specialist to recommend the best way to achieve and maintain a healthy, radiant, and long-lasting smile that you’ll be proud to show off. Our practice uses the latest technology and materials to comfortably and expertly produce results that are considered the gold standard in the orthodontics field.

There are two types of retainers: Fixed — which are placed and removed by our orthodontist; and removable — which patients place and remove themselves. Fixed retainers are composed mostly of thin wire that our specialist custom-fits and attaches to the teeth. The removable options are either wire or clear plastic, and our orthodontist provides instruction to each patient on how to place, remove, and care for the appliance. The type of retainer our orthodontist selects depends on each person’s specific dental needs.

The good news is that the most challenging part of orthodontic treatment is over; we just want to make sure the smile we’ve worked together to create stays healthy and beautiful for years to come! Please contact the orthodontist at Orthodontics, Inc.; we’ll be glad to answer any questions you have about our treatment!