You've worked hard for your beautiful smile; keep it that way!

Finally, you are done with treatment! Your smile is beautiful and your bite is amazing! However, your orthodontic journey isn't quite completed. To keep your smile looking its best, you'll have to wear a retainer to preserve and stabilize your results. Retainers are needed to control or limit potential changes in tooth position. They are used after orthodontic treatment to hold teeth in their correct alignment while the surrounding gums, bone, and muscle adjust to the new positioning of your teeth. Patients can expect to wear clear retainers full time (22 hours a day) for the first 6 months of retention. At the 6 month mark, we evaluate the patient's teeth to see if they are ready to transition into night time wear.

Types of Retainers

Hawley Retainers

Hawley retainers typically include a metal wire that surrounds the front teeth and is attached to an acrylic arch that sits in the roof of the mouth. Hawley retainers are used when a patient has completed interceptive treatment and still has baby teeth. The metal wires can be adjusted to finish treatment and continue minor movement of the front teeth as needed.

Essix Retainers

Made right here in our office, Essix retainers look similar to clear aligners and offer a more aesthetic alternative to wire retainers. This clear retainer may fit over the entire arch of your teeth, or only from canine to canine (clip-on retainer). It is produced from a mold of your newly aligned teeth.