One of the most important parts of orthodontic treatment comes after the braces or clear aligners come off. Your beautiful new smile comes from months of your teeth moving into place. The only way to stop them from moving back out of place is with retainers.
Some orthodontists use one type of retainers. Others offer an option of the three main types of retainers. Woodhill Dental Specialties uses a combination of retainers to ensure your perfect smile stays that way.
What are the different types of retainers, and how do retainers help your smile? Let’s explore what retainers are and why they’re so important to your treatment.
There are three main types of retainers used by orthodontists and their patients today. Each type has pros and cons, which is why some orthodontists combine types to get the best results. Two types of retainers are removable, while the third type is considered permanent.
Hawley retainers are removable and one of the most common types of retainers. This style of retainer has been around for a while and is probably what most people think of when they hear the word “retainers.”
The Hawley retainer is a custom-molded piece of acrylic with wires attached that wrap around your teeth, holding them in place. The plastic rests against the roof of your mouth for the upper retainer and against the back of the incisor gums on your lower teeth.
Essix retainers are clear, removable retainers that resemble clear aligners. Unlike clear aligners, Essix retainers hold your teeth in place rather than use gentle pressure to move them.
Essix retainers are custom-molded to your teeth and are nearly invisible, so it’s difficult for people to see that you are wearing retainers. You care for these retainers much like you would clear aligners. However, unlike clear aligners that are switched out every couple of weeks, these retainers are made to be more durable and last much longer.
Bonded retainers or lingual retainers are different names for permanent retainers, which are thick wires cemented to your teeth. Unlike the other types of retainers, these are bonded to the back of your front teeth to hold them in place. Holding your front teeth in place helps keep the back teeth from moving, so they’re very effective.
Permanent retainers can’t get lost or damaged outside the mouth like removable retainers. It's possible to damage them, but this is not very common. Permanent retainers are designed to last for several years.
What are the pros and cons of the different types of retainers? Let’s look at the pros first.
Retainers can last a long time if they are properly cared for. Cleaning your retainers regularly, storing them properly when not in use, and wearing them consistently can help extend the life of your removable retainers, which typically last 3-10 years.
Permanent retainers are more durable than other types of retainers and can last 10-20 years. They may last for less time if you do things like eat hard foods or candies that could damage the bond holding the wire to your teeth.
How do you clean your retainers properly? You need to clean them regularly to keep food, germs, bacteria, and plaque from building up. Putting all that in your mouth could not only make you ill, but it could also accelerate tooth decay and gum disease.
You can clean your removable retainers daily by using clear, antibacterial soap and warm water (but not hot!). Be sure to rinse them well before putting them into your mouth. Then, once or twice a week, soak your retainers in a solution of warm water and retainer cleaning tablets, which can be found at major retailers or pharmacies.
We don’t recommend using denture cleanser unless it doesn’t mention “scrubbing power.” Scrubbing cleanser contains microabrasive particles that can scratch your retainers, making them cloudy. This is particularly damaging to Essix retainers. We don’t recommend toothpaste for the same reason — it contains microabrasives.
Cleaning permanent retainers requires brushing and flossing daily. You can use floss threaders to floss properly around your permanent retainers. You can also use a proximal brush or a water flosser (such as WaterPik) for added cleaning power.
Which type of retainers is right for me? That’s the big question our patients have. At Woodhill Dental Specialties, we want our patients to have a successful treatment and a smile that last for years. To do this, we use a combination of retainers for our patients.
We start by placing permanent retainers behind the front teeth of our patients. Then, we fit you for removable retainers. Why do we do this? Removable retainers alone must be worn almost constantly for the first several months, which many people don’t do, causing their teeth to shift.
Permanent retainers do a decent job of holding the front teeth in place, but the back teeth can move. This way, all of the teeth stay in place, and you can reduce your time in removable retainers to just overnight.
Our method allows you to show off your beautiful, new smile at any time!
Retainers help keep your new smile straight, hopefully for a lifetime. Our method of combining retainers is designed to maximize the success of your treatment. If you’re ready for a new smile, schedule an appointment for orthodontic treatment in Dallas, TX, or Rockwall, TX, with Woodhill Dental Specialties. Let us show you how amazing your smile can be for years to come!
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