Retainers must be worn for a period of time following orthodontic treatment. Typically, it is recommended that you wear your retainers each night when you sleep, to prevent your teeth from shifting back to their old positions. In our office, we have replaced traditional retainers with new clear plastic retainers. These clear retainers only cover the crowns of the teeth, are extremely comfortable and easy to wear; in addition, to being virtually invisible to the human eye!
Traditional retainers consist of a removable appliance with a stainless steel wire that crosses over the front of the teeth; in addition, to an acrylic portion which covers the surface of the palate. These traditional retainers are not as comfortable or cosmetically pleasing as the newer clear retainers used in our office.
Please note, though not very often, there are still some patients who are required to wear traditional retainers following completion of treatment due to special circumstances.
