Retaining Your Smile - Dental Marketing & Practice Management

Request Info

I consent to be contacted by Henry Schein One, LLC and its affiliates regarding this request and to receive marketing messages by automated means, text and/or prerecorded messages at the number provided. Consent is not required as a condition of service.

By clicking the "Submit" button, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Even though your braces have been removed, your orthodontic treatment isn’t quite finished yet. Retainers must be worn routinely after treatment in order to hold your teeth in their proper, new position while your gums, ligaments, and bones adapt.
You’ll probably be required to wear your retainer during the day and at night at first, after which your wear time will be reduced to just at night.

Removable Retainers

The main advantage of removable retainers is their ease of use. You can take them out when you eat and when you brush and floss your teeth. At some point, you’ll only have to wear your retainer at night or on a part-time basis.

There are downsides to using a removable retainer, however. They can easily be forgotten at times, which means you won’t be taking full advantage of teeth retention. Removable retainers need to be used as directed to be effective.

Types of Removable Retainers

Hawley Retainers: The Hawley is one of the most common types of removable retainer. It consists of a combination of a metal wire that typically surrounds the six front teeth and an acrylic framing to hold it in place. The acrylic can also be personalized with a large selection of colors or patterns.
Essix (Clear) Retainers: The Essix retainer is a clear, removable retainer that fits over the entire arch of your teeth. Similar to clear aligner trays, Essix retainers contain no metal or wires. They can also be used to produce minor tooth movements, and can be helpful in prevention of tooth wear due to tooth grinding at night.

Permanent (Bonded) Retainers

Permanent retainers are placed onto the inside surface of your top and bottom front six teeth. They are made of small, thin brackets which are connected with a wire.

Once your permanent retainers are placed in your mouth, you won’t need to worry about daily retainer schedules, since they are permanently affixed to your teeth.

Because teeth start to shift naturally as we age, permanent retainers typically offer better long-term results for keeping your teeth straight than removable ones do. You can’t forget to put it in; it’s already there! Temporary retainers get lost or are forgotten on trips, and often fail to get used as often as they should be.

Learn More About Sesame

request a demo

Sesame is an industry leader in integrated, cloud-based marketing and patient-engagement solution designed exclusively for your practice. We know that effective patient communication is vital to the success of your practice and the efficiency of your team. With Sesame, you can take your practice to the next level, allowing you to concentrate on what’s really important – your patients!