What are retainers?
Once braces are removed, some form of retention is needed. Retainers are used to maintain the teeth in their new positions. They are an extremely important part of treatment. Retainers are either removable or fixed to the teeth, depending on the severity of the initial condition. The doctors will instruct you as to the specific times retainers should be worn.
Retainers are plates or wires given to prevent teeth from moving after the orthodontic treatment is completed. The teeth have a tendency to shift from their new positions as the bone supporting them is softer when the braces are removed. Even after the bone gets back to normal there are a number of forces acting on the teeth. A retainer supports the teeth and keeps them in their desired positions. There are two types of retainers, removable and fixed. Removable retainers are plated which can be removed by the patient. They have to be worn all the time except while brushing and eating. The duration of wear of removable plates is gradually reduced over a period of time after first six months of full time wear. The fixed retainers are thin wires glued to the teeth on the inner surfaces so that they are not visible at all. These can be kept in the mouth as long as necessary.
