Orthodontic Retainers to Keep Your Smile in Place
Completing orthodontic treatment is a major milestone, but keeping your smile straight requires ongoing care. At Coastal Smiles Family Orthodontics, we design personalized retainer plans to help prevent teeth from shifting and to protect the results you worked hard to achieve. Consistent retainer wear is the most important step in maintaining your beautiful new smile for years to come.
Why Are Retainers Necessary After Braces or Invisalign?
Once braces or clear aligners come off, the teeth are beautifully aligned, but not yet fully stabilized. The surrounding bone and soft tissues need time to adjust. Without proper retention, natural forces from chewing, growth, and muscle movement can gradually shift teeth out of place.
Retainers help:
Stabilize the new tooth positions
Prevent relapse or unwanted movement
Protect your investment in orthodontic treatment
Even after your smile has settled, wearing a retainer regularly, often for life, is the best way to maintain long-lasting results.
What Types of Retainers Do We Offer?
Removable Retainers
Teeth naturally shift throughout life, which is why wearing your removable retainer consistently is essential. After your braces or clear aligner treatment is complete, Dr. Cardinal typically recommends:
First 12 months: Wear your retainer as much as possible, removing it only for meals and brushing.
After one year: Switch to nightly wear, especially while wisdom teeth are developing.
Long-term: Once your wisdom teeth have been evaluated, wear your retainer at least one night per week to maintain stability.
Regular visits every 6–9 months help us monitor your progress, and panoramic X-rays every 18 months allow us to track wisdom tooth development and prevent unwanted movement.
Hawley Retainer
Hawley retainers are the traditional retainer style, made of durable acrylic with a thin stainless-steel wire that rests along the front of the teeth. They are long-lasting, adjustable, and ideal for patients who need a sturdy appliance that can be refined over time.
Clear Retainer
Clear retainers are made from a smooth, transparent plastic material that fits snugly over your teeth, similar to an Invisalign® tray. They are comfortable, discreet, and one of the most popular choices for patients who prefer a nearly invisible retainer.
How Do I Care for Removable Retainers?
To keep your retainers clean and functioning properly, follow these care tips:
Clean your retainer before and after wearing it using mild soap and a soft toothbrush.
Use retainer-cleaning crystals or denture-cleaning tablets to remove deeper buildup.
Avoid heat—retainers can warp above 115°F, so keep them away from cars, dishwashers, or heaters.
Always store your retainer in its protective case when not in use.
Keep retainers away from pets (dogs especially love to chew them!).
Replace retainers as needed; one set is included with treatment, but damaged or lost retainers may require a replacement fee.
Contact us immediately if your retainer feels loose, cracked, or no longer fits properly.
What Should I Know About Fixed (Bonded) Retainers?
A fixed retainer is a thin wire bonded behind the teeth to provide long-term stability. While extremely effective, it requires careful monitoring.
Do fixed retainers last forever?
Yes, many fixed retainers can stay in place for decades as long as they remain clean and intact.
Your family dentist will check the wire during routine dental visits.
If plaque buildup or gum irritation develops, your dentist may recommend removing the wire and switching to a removable retainer.
If removal is necessary, Dr. Cardinal will prescribe a new removable retainer to maintain your alignment.
Fixed retainers are especially helpful for patients who have had significant crowding or noticeable shifting in the past.
Keeping Your Smile Beautiful for Life
Our goal at Coastal Smiles Family Orthodontics is to help you maintain the stunning smile you achieved through treatment. With proper retainer wear, regular dental checkups, and good oral hygiene habits, your results can last a lifetime. Your cooperation and consistency make all the difference.
Our goal is to help your smile stay beautiful and healthy for a lifetime. Your cooperation is essential in order to achieve this goal.