Your treatment doesn't end when your braces come off. Retainers protect your investment and keep your smile looking exactly the way it should — for life.
After orthodontic treatment, your teeth have been moved into new positions — but the bone and tissue surrounding them need time to stabilize and adapt. Without a retainer, teeth have a natural tendency to shift back toward their original positions. This process, called relapse, can undo months or years of treatment.
Retainers hold your teeth in their corrected positions while the supporting structures solidify. Dr. Bodine will prescribe the type of retainer that's right for you and give you clear guidelines on how long and how often to wear it.
The bottom line: Retainers are a lifelong commitment to protecting your smile. Patients who wear their retainers consistently maintain their results indefinitely.
A classic removable retainer made of acrylic and metal wire. Durable, adjustable, and easy to clean. The wire crosses the front of the teeth to hold them in place, and the acrylic sits against the roof of the mouth or along the lower gum line. Available in a variety of colors.
A removable retainer made from thin, transparent plastic that fits snugly over your teeth — similar in appearance to a clear aligner tray. Nearly invisible when worn, comfortable, and easy to maintain. A popular choice for patients who want a subtle option.
A thin wire bonded to the back of your front teeth. Because it's permanently attached, you never have to remember to put it in. Fixed retainers are especially common on the lower front teeth and provide continuous, passive retention. Flossing requires a floss threader or water flosser.
Many patients use both a fixed retainer on the lower front teeth and a removable retainer on the upper arch. This combination provides excellent protection on the teeth most prone to shifting while keeping the upper arch accessible for easy cleaning.
Immediately following the removal of braces or completion of aligner treatment, we typically recommend wearing your retainer full-time (20–22 hours per day) for the first several months. This is the period when teeth are most likely to shift, so consistent wear is critical.
After the initial full-time period, most patients transition to nighttime-only wear. Dr. Bodine will advise you on when to make this transition based on how your teeth are responding. Nighttime wear is generally recommended indefinitely to maintain your results long-term.
Don't wait. The longer you go without your retainer, the more likely your teeth are to shift. Contact our office as soon as possible so we can get you into a replacement. In the meantime, avoid wearing a broken retainer that doesn't fit correctly — it can put unwanted pressure on your teeth.
We keep records of your final tooth positions and can typically fabricate a replacement retainer quickly. Replacement retainers are available at a nominal fee.
Call us and we'll get you scheduled quickly. Don't let shifting undo your hard work.
Call (903) 872-1200