At the end of treatment, included in the cost of braces, are the retainers. The retention phase is actually the most important step! Every patient will be given a retainer to help hold the teeth in their current position and keep that new and amazing smile you worked so hard to get from shifting. We recommend to wear your retainers full time for one year and then after one year the patient can go to nights. Certain situations may require something different but retainers must be work as prescribed. The different types of retainers available are:
Removable Retainers
Hawley retainers
More traditional retainer and made of acrylic and stainless steel wires.
Essix retainers
Made of clear plastic and looks like a clear aligner such as Invisalign.
Fixed retainers
Thin wire bonded on the tongue side of the lower anterior teeth or behind the upper anterior teeth. It will be very important to brush and floss the fixed retainer and to see your general dentist for regular routine visits.
