Retainers
At the end of any orthodontic treatment you will be given retainers to wear. Retainers can be removable or fixed and play an extremely important role in your treatment. Retainers are designed to hold your teeth in their straightened position. If your braces were just removed and nothing was holding your teeth in their new position then your teeth would move back again.
Removable retainers are usually worn full time (day & night) for 3 months. You must remove the retainers for eating and cleaning. At 3 months we will check your teeth and then you usually only need to wear them in bed at night. Your orthodontist will recommend how long you need to do this for.
Permanent retainers are glued to the back of your front teeth and are usually in place on a long term basis. Your orthodontist will advise you whether you will need a permanent retainer.