Orthodontic Retainers - Farmington Hills
Why Are Retainers Needed?
Finally, your braces have been removed and your smile is beautiful, straight, and best of all, metal-free! However, your orthodontic journey isn’t quite completed. To keep your smile looking its best, you’ll have to wear a retainer to preserve and stabilize your results.
Retainers are needed to control or limit potential changes in tooth position. They are used after braces treatment to hold teeth in their correct alignment while the surrounding gums, bone, and muscle adjust to the new positioning of your teeth.
Different Types of Retainers
Retainers are custom-made and can be removable or fixed. There are many types of retainers that our Farmington Hills office offers. Traditional removable retainers typically include a metal wire that surrounds the front teeth and is attached to an acrylic arch that sits in the roof of the mouth. The metal wires can be adjusted to finish treatment and continue minor movement of the front teeth as needed.
Aligner-style retainers, or Essix retainers are desirable because they are similar to clear aligners and offer a more aesthetic alternative to wire retainers. This clear retainer may fit over the entire arch of your teeth, or only from canine to canine. It is produced from a mold of your newly aligned teeth.
We also offer fixed retainers that consist of wires bonded behind the bottom and/or top teeth. While the device is usually required no more than a year after wisdom teeth have been extracted, it is often kept in place for life.
Orthodontic Retainers in Farmington Hills
There are many pros and cons to consider as well. Removable retainers can be taken out for eating and hygiene routines. They can also be easily lost, so be sure to keep them in your case and keep track of them. Fixed retainers are great if you don’t want to keep track of it, or if you don’t want to worry about how many hours per day it must be worn. Teeth with fixed retainers require a little extra attention to remove tartar while flossing. Patients with fixed retainers often must use floss threaders to pass dental floss through the small spaces between the retainer and the teeth.
Affordable Retainers in Farmington Hills, MI – Orthodontic Retention – High Quality Orthodontic Retainers
