Retainers

Hawley Retainers - the most common type of retainers. Their components include an acrylic base moulded to your palate, plus a wire to hold your teeth in position. The acrylic can be made available in different colours.

Essix Retainers - made of clear plastic that are created from moulds of your teeth in their new position. They resemble the Invisalign appliance are rather comfortable and undetectable.

Bonded Wire Retainers - permanent retainers comprised of flexible thin wires that are accurately contoured to teeth and bonded to the lingual side (inside surface) of the teeth. The material used to cement this retainer is the same material used to repair a fractured front tooth or to bond braces to teeth. One of the great advantages of bonded lingual wire retainers is that they cannot be misplaced, as they are permanently bonded to teeth. They can also be worn full-time indefinitely, provided the patient follows the prescribed care instructions. They are not easily discernible because they are bonded to the lingual side of teeth with a tooth coloured composite.

Patients must remember that retention is an important part of treatment as braces are. Without proper and consistent use of these appliances, patients run the risk of allowing the orthodontic results to relapse.

As long as patients follow the doctor's instructions, they can look forward to a beautiful, healthy smile that will not only be functionally healthy and aesthetically pleasing, but will also remain that way for a long-term.

Retainer instructions:

1. Your removable retainer must be worn consistently, day and night for up to 6 months following the end of treatment to allow the bone and gum tissue to remodel around the new tooth positions.
2. Then 3 months night only wear after the initial 6 month period.
3. Then 3 months alternate night wear.

The only time it is permissible to remove a retainer is when eating or playing any contact sport or when brushing or flossing your teeth.

Maintainance

1. Retainers are very sensitive appliances that must be handled carefully. Do not place them in very hot or cold water as this can warp their shape will have to be replaced.
2. Retainers must be placed in a retainer case you when they are not in your mouth. Wrapping the appliance in a damp paper towel inside the case will prevent any warping of the plastic components.
3. Please try to be mindful of where you place your retainer. A lost retainer does not only incur an additional expense, it will also delay your inactive treatment as you may have to wait while the orthodontic laboratory fabricates a new appliance.

Please remember that we are committed in making our best effort towards achieving optimal treatment results. This is a joint effort. We will need our patient's cooperation in order to reach our primary goal; giving our patients a healthy bite and a beautiful smile that will last a life time

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