Maintain Your Smile for Life
You’ve worked hard to straighten your smile, so it only makes sense to do the work to maintain the results! Retainers are essential to keep your newly-straightened smile in place after you finish treatment.
There are a few options to choose from at Varallo Orthodontics, and our team will help you find your perfect fit.
All About Retainers
Now that you’ve finished the active phase of your treatment, it is time to start the next step: retention. This phase is just as important as active treatment, so follow the instructions below to ensure your smile stays straight!
Retainers help control any potential changes in tooth position. You’ll use a retainer after braces treatment to hold teeth in their correct alignment while the surrounding gums, bones, and muscles adjust to the new positioning of your teeth.
Types of Retainers
We offer a few options for post-treatment retainers. Each one has unique benefits, so our team will help you choose the retainer that will meet your needs.
Fixed Retainers
Fixed retainers are wires bonded behind the bottom or top teeth. While the device is usually required no more than a year after wisdom teeth are extracted, you will often have it for life.
Hawley Retainers
Traditional removable retainers typically include a metal wire that surrounds the front teeth and is attached to an acrylic arch that sits on the roof of the mouth. The metal wires can be adjusted to finish treatment and minor movement of the front teeth as needed.
Essix Retainers
Aligner-style retainers, or 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.