Retainers
If you like your smile, you must LOVE your retainers!
There is no perfect solution when it comes to retaining teeth! As with everything in our body, our teeth will move and change throughout life. The only way to keep your teeth straight, is by wearing retainers at night. As long as your retainers fit well and are worn at night, your teeth will stay straight.
There are many different options for retainers. Retainers are custom-made for each individual patient.
Removable Hawley Retainer
Advantages:
- Very strong and durable
- Allow "settling" of the teeth in the back which at times can slightly improve a bite
- Wire part of the retainer can be adjusted to adjust tooth position as needed
Disadvantages:
- The wire is visible
- The acrylic covering the roof of the mouth can affect speech
- They can be misplaced or broken
Removable Clear Retainer
Advantages:
- Clear plastic is virtually invisible
- Minimal speech interference
- If you grind or clench your teeth, the retainer will protect the chewing surfaces of your teeth
- If you do forget to wear your retainers, at times this retainer is able to "recapture" a slightly crooked tooth.
Disadvantage:
- They are more fragile than Hawley retainers
- The plastic can wear thin and crack or break
- Like Hawley retainers, you must remember to wear them and not misplace them.
Permanent Lingual Retainer (lower teeth only)
Advantage:
- A wire is permanently adhered to the tongue side of your lower front teeth
- It is not removable, so you do not have to remember to wear it!
Disadvantage:
- You will have to use a floss threader to adequately clean around the bonded wire
- Tarter tends to accumulate around the wire, possibly causing gingivitis
- If you eat something hard, it can break requiring a timely repair
