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Retainers
Retainers are also referred to as “Holding Braces”.
Retainers are used following braces in order to hold the teeth in the new position the brace has placed them in. This allows time for the surrounding gums and bone to adjust. Often a patient will be required to wear the retainer to start off with at all times except when eating for a period determined by the orthodontist. Then after this period it may only be necessary to wear it at night.
There are different types of retainers, removable and fixed. Removable retainers are either clear acrylic trays, such as Essix®retainers or Hawley type retainers that have wires attached to help hold then in place. Bonded retainers are thin wires that are attached to the back of the front teeth.
To maintain the position of the teeth following corrective treatment
Most removable retainers come with a retainer case to protect them. During the first few days of retainer use, many people will have extra saliva in their mouth. This is natural and is due to the presence of a new object inside the mouth and consequent stimulation of the saliva glands. There is usually a slight change in speech only for the first 1 – 2 days.