Through the course of multiple adjustment sessions, Uinta Orthodontics’s orthodontists have used your braces to realign your teeth. Now that you have a healthy mouth and a winning smile, your braces can be removed. However, there will still be a small amount of residual tension in the periodontal ligaments anchoring your teeth in their sockets.
Without the use of a retainer, your teeth could gradually drift out of alignment in a process known as relapse. To combat this your orthodontists will fit you for a custom retainer. You will need to wear your retainer during the prescribed times until the tension in the periodontal ligaments subsides.
There are three different types of retainer that our orthodontists recommend, for various reasons.
The most common type of retainer is known as a Hawley. This style of retainer gets its name from the renowned orthodontist Dr. Charles A. Hawley. It’s basically a thin, tongue-shaped piece of acrylic, custom fit to the unique contours of your mouth. It’s held securely in your mouth by a set of wires that interlock with a few of your teeth.
They might recommend a clear plastic retainer if you only needed braces to perform a minor adjustment to your teeth. The retainer is made from a durable plastic material molded to your perfectly fit over your teeth. Most of the time a casual observer can’t even notice you’re wearing it.
A fixed retainer might be called for if your braces provided a significant amount of realignment. It’s basically a strong wire that is cemented in place behind your teeth.
If you are due to have braces removed and you have questions about what type of retainer you’ll need, you can call Uinta Orthodontics’s clinic in Evanston, Wyoming at (307) 789-8742 for a consultation.
