What are my retainer options?

There are two main types of retainers: fixed and removable. Fixed retainers are bonded to the back of the teeth with tooth colored cement. It is made of a thin wire that runs across the back of the teeth. They are not visible from the front of the teeth, and patients can continue to eat and speak normally with a fixed retainer in place. We only ask that patients be careful eating certain foods like biting into apples or corn on the cob.

clear retainers are an easy and invisible way to hold your teeth straight after treatment

You have worked hard for your beautiful, new smile! We always want to make sure that smile will be with you for a lifetime. To make this possible, Leap Orthodontics offers several retainer options that fit with your smile and with your lifestyle.

Orthodontic retainers are custom-made appliances that are designed to help maintain the position of teeth after treatment with braces or clear aligners. Retainers can be made of various materials, including plastic and metal combination or clear plastic, and are designed to fit over the teeth.

a fixed retainer is a low maintenance option to hold your teeth straight

Removable retainers are designed to be taken out of the mouth for cleaning and eating. We offer retainers made of clear plastic or a combination of plastic and metal wires, and they fit over the teeth to hold them in place. Typically, we will recommend wearing a retainer full-time for the first few months after treatment, and then gradually decreasing wear time to only at night.

It is important to remember that teeth can move throughout your entire life. While teeth tend to settle into their final positions by early adulthood, they can still shift in response to various factors such as age, growth, lifestyle habits, and restorative dental treatment. Grinding and clenching can also cause your teeth to shift. At Leap, we recommend you wear your retainer nightly until you are in your mid-twenties. You can then taper how often you wear your retainers, keeping in mind that if your retainers are tight or your teeth are sore after an extended time without retainers, you should wear them more often as your teeth are shifting into unstable positions. Eventually, popping your retainer in one or two nights a month will ensure that your teeth will be as beautiful as the day you got your braces or aligners off!

Have you not worn your retainers in a long time and noticed your teeth are shifting? Call Leap today or visit us at leaportho.com for a free consultation to see how we can restore your smile to perfection!