Retention

What do retainers do?
Retainers are worn after fixed braces. They hold the teeth in their new position while the bone, ligament and gum fibres reorganise and heal. This process takes time. One researcher suggests that the gingival or gum fibres take 232 days to reorganise and heal.

Will my teeth ever go back?
Provided that you wear your retainers correctly, your teeth will never go back to their original positions. However, unless you continue to wear your fixed retainers, your lower teeth will lose some alignment as you age. These minor changes are normal and affect everyone regardless of whether they have braces or not.

What types of retainers are there?
There are fixed retainers and removable retainers. Fixed retainers are bonded to the back of the front teeth so that they cannot be seen. The two main types of removable retainers are the invisible retainer and the Hawley retainer.

Invisible Retainers

How often do I wear my retainers?
Initially retainers must be worn ALL THE TIME, except when cleaning your teeth.

How do I keep my invisible retainers clean?
Clean your invisible retainers regularly by brushing the inner and outer surfaces with your toothbrush under COLD water. NEVER use hot water or your retainers will melt.

How do I take my retainers out?
To remove your retainers, pull the end of the retainer away from the teeth with a fingernail.

How long do I wear my Invisible retainers ?
We recommend that you wear your invisible retainers on a full-time basis for three months and then at least for another nine months on a nightly basis only. In order to maintain your treatment result, we would suggest that you continue to wear your retainers indefinitely.

What are Invisible retainers made of?
Invisible retainers are made of a safe, soft, clear plastic called Essix A+. Because your retainer is less than 1mm thick, it is very comfortable to wear and very discreet.

Fixed Retainers

How do I keep my fixed retainers clean?
Clean your teeth as normal with regular fluoride toothpaste and floss. Flossing will be more difficult but you will be shown the best way when they are fitted.

How long do I keep my fixed retainers ?
Fixed retainers are an ideal way to maintain your treatment result. They cannot be seen, require minimal looking after and provided they are kept clean, you can maintain them indefinitely.

What are fixed retainers made of?
Fixed retainers are made from high quality orthodontic grade twistflex stainless steel, which is bonded to the back of the teeth.

What happens if I lose or break my retainer?
It is very important that you contact us as soon as possible so that we can either provide you with new retainers or repair your fixed retainer. There is a charge for replacing retainers.