What are the types of retainers and the differences between them

What are the types of retainers and the differences between them?

Once your orthodontic treatment is completed, you will be required to use retainers to preserve your newly aligned and corrected smile. But from the several types of retainers available, how would you know which is the most appropriate for you?

Before jumping into explaining the types of retainers available, we need to understand that, unfortunately, it is not always a matter of choice but a matter of following indications from your dentists in Tijuana according to your specific clinical case, dental habits, and lifestyle.

What are the different types of retainers, and what are the reasons to use them for?

Fixed retainers:

• What are they? Fixed retainers, also known as bonded retainers, consist of a stainless-steel wire permanently glued in the lingual surface of your teeth
• When are they used? This retainer option works perfectly for patients that have very busy lives or frequently travel because you cannot lose them
• Important information: The only inconvenience is that oral hygiene needs to be taken care of in detail to avoid tartar accumulation that could cause larger issues with this choice

Removable retainers:

There are two types of removable retainers available:

• The Hawley retainer is a combination of acrylic and stainless-steel wires that are elaborated with the very exact shape of the position of your teeth in the lingual surface and the wire as close as possible to the anterior surface with the purpose of retaining your teeth at their current position.
• The clear plastic retainers are shaped to fit over your teeth since they are clear and practically unnoticeable when worn. Unfortunately, they need to be replaced a little more often since they tend to wear out and discolor more often than the Hawley.

Only disadvantage: The main problem with removable retainers is that patients frequently lose them and misplace them or do not use them with the frequency they need to be worn.

Successfully maintain the discipline to keep your smile

Retainers are important to keep everything aligned just right for you after your dental braces in Tijuana, but there’s one thing left to take care of first.

Your teeth may move during your lifetime. In general terms, any small force applied at regular intervals can create tiny changes in position and orientation. Unfortunately, those tiny changes can add up over time and eventually become big ones. Retainers help prevent these shifts from occurring after finishing the orthodontic treatment braces.

If you have any questions about the procedure, contact our specialized dentists in Tijuana to clear up any questions this article might have missed.