You've worked hard for your beautiful smile — let's keep it that way!
Congratulations! Your braces are off, and your new smile is straight, confident, and metal-free. While this is an exciting milestone, your orthodontic journey isn’t over just yet. To maintain your results and minimize your teeth from shifting, you’ll need to wear a retainer. Retainers help preserve your beautiful smile by holding your teeth in their new positions while the surrounding gums, bone, and muscles adjust. Consistent retainer wear is the key to keeping your smile looking its best for years to come.
Types of Retainers
Retainers are custom-made and can be removable or fixed, depending on your needs and preferences.
- Traditional removable retainers feature a thin metal wire across the front teeth, connected to an acrylic base that fits comfortably along the roof of the mouth or behind the lower teeth. The wire can be adjusted to make small refinements as needed.
- Aligner-style retainers, or Essix® retainers, look like clear aligners and offer a nearly invisible option for maintaining your results. They fit snugly over your teeth and can cover the full arch or just the front teeth.
- Fixed retainers consist of small wires bonded behind the upper and/or lower front teeth. They provide constant protection against shifting and is often kept in place long-term—sometimes for life.
Pros and Cons of Retainer Types
- Removable retainer: 1. Easy to take out for eating and brushing, 2. Requires care to avoid losing or damaging them (always store in a case when not in use)
- Fixed retainer: 1. No need to remember daily wear time, 2. Requires extra care when brushing and flossing (using a floss threader helps remove plaque and tartar buildup)
Retainers For Life
You’ve put in the time and effort to achieve your beautiful smile—now let’s make sure it stays that way. What many people don’t realize is that retainers are a lifelong commitment. Teeth naturally shift over time, even years after treatment. The best way to protect your investment is with regular wear and easy access to replacement retainers.
At Double T Smiles, we’re proud to be the first in the area to offer the Retainers For Life Protection Plan. This unique plan gives our patients access to affordable, high-quality retainers—custom-made using your doctor’s original prescription. You’ll receive your retainers at wholesale prices, shipped directly to your door, so there’s no need to come in for an appointment every time you need a replacement.
Whether your retainer is lost, broken, or just worn out, you can order a new one whenever you need it. It’s convenient, stress-free, and designed to help you maintain your radiant smile.