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Information on Retainers
Here at the Grosvenor Orthodontic Clinic we believe it is important to provide prospective orthodontic patients with as much information as possible. This page of our website is intended to provide an insight into retainers, including information on what an orthodontic retainer is, how long they are to be worn for and how to look after them.
Once your active course of orthodontic treatment has been completed and you are no longer required to wear a brace, there is always the possibility that your teeth may naturally spring back to the position they were before you started your orthodontic treatment. This is why orthodontic patients are often required to wear a retainer, in order to give their teeth the support they need to remain in their new position, until the surrounding bone has adapted to secure the teeth.
Just the same as braces/appliances, there are two types of retainer - fixed retainers and removable retainers. Removable retainers are usually worn full-time for the first week (except when eating or brushing your teeth) and then each and every night for at least 8 hours, over a minimum period of 12 months. The inability to wear a retainer through loss or breakage should be immediately reported to the clinic. Fixed retainers are secured to the inside surfaces of the upper and lower teeth and are worn for a minimum of 3 years. The longer a fixed retainer is worn, the better, as it maximises the chance of the teeth staying in the desired position.
Click here for information on braces/appliances.
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