This is a very common question. Confusion reins among many people and you’ll have friends who say “I was never told to wear a retainer after my braces”
The short answer is, you need to wear a retainer for as long as you want to keep your teeth straight. Prior to orthodontics, your teeth are very happy with the position they are in. As an Orthodontist, I will attempt to place your teeth in the most stable, aesthetic position possible but they will always want to move back towards the position they were in.
There are two main types of retainers, fixed and removable. Fixed retainers are small wires bonded to the back of your upper and lower anterior teeth. They can be hard to clean and have a high breakage rate but most patients adapt to them quickly.
Removable retainers are clear plastic devices that are worn, usually, just at night. Again they can take a few days to adapt to but they will become part of your night time routine. They also have the added benefit of protecting your teeth if you grind (most of us do) and can be used as a bleaching tray.
Which retainer you wear is a matter of choice. The available research tells us there is no difference. At Hennessy Orthodontics we give every patient a removable retainer and place a fixed retainer where it is possible, “Belt and Braces” if you pardon the pun!
The take home point is, IF YOU HAVE BRACES, YOU NEED A RETAINER. Perfect teeth can be difficult to attain, keeping them perfect is a lifetime’s work.
Keep smiling,
Joe
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