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Finishing your orthodontic treatment is a huge milestone, but keeping your teeth straight is a lifelong commitment. We provide custom-fabricated retainers designed to hold your teeth securely in their new positions and protect your investment.
Retainers are essential appliances used after any orthodontic treatment to maintain the corrected position of your teeth. Without them, your teeth will naturally begin to drift back to their old, crooked positions as the surrounding bone and tissues stabilize. Consistent retainer wear, particularly during the first year after treatment, is the single most important factor in preserving your results. We help you with:
Feature | Essix Retainers (Clear Trays) | Hawley Retainers (Wire & Acrylic) |
|---|---|---|
Appearance | Clear plastic, barely noticeable at conversational distance | Features a visible metal wire across the front teeth |
Durability | Plastic that wears down and needs replacing every one to three years | More durable, often lasting five to ten years with good care |
Adjustability | Fixed shape; cannot be adjusted if teeth shift slightly | The front wire can be tightened to make minor tooth corrections |
Whether you just finished aligners or are replacing an old retainer, we ensure your current bite alignment is stable and healthy.
We use a comfortable intraoral scanner to capture the exact position of your teeth, ensuring a highly precise, snug fit.
Your retainer is fabricated from durable, high-quality materials based entirely on your digital 3D model.
We have you try the retainer on to check for any pressure points, and we walk you through the exact cleaning and daily wear instructions.
At 313 Dental, Dr. Mohammad Hammoud often sees patients who had braces as teenagers but stopped wearing their retainers. It is a common frustration, but it is easily prevented. We keep your digital scan on file, so replacing a lost or cracked retainer usually means a phone call and a printed replacement from our own 3D printer rather than starting the whole process again.
For the first few months after treatment, you will likely need to wear it full-time. After your bone stabilizes, you will transition to wearing it only at night. Nightly retainer wear is a lifelong commitment. Teeth keep trying to move for as long as you have them.
Brush it gently with a soft toothbrush and cold water. Do not use regular toothpaste, as it is abrasive and will scratch the clear plastic, making it look cloudy. You can also use specialized retainer cleaning tablets.
Yes, in very minor cases. Because Hawley retainers have an adjustable metal wire, we can sometimes tighten the wire to gently push a slightly shifted front tooth back into place.
Clear Essix retainers typically last between one to three years before the plastic stretches or wears down from grinding. Hawley retainers can last much longer, often five to ten years, if cared for properly.
If you just finished treatment or need to replace a lost or broken retainer, contact our Dearborn team today so we can keep your teeth where your treatment put them.
Reviewed by Dr. Mohammad Hammoud, DMD – 313 Dental, Dearborn, MI
