Completing your orthodontic treatment is a huge milestone. After months of wearing braces or clear aligners, you finally have the straight, confident smile you worked for.
However, the day your braces come off is not the end of the journey. At Sundial Dental, we provide high-quality retainers across our Mid North Coast clinics to ensure your results last for the long term.
What Are Retainers?
Retainers are custom-made orthodontic appliances designed to hold your teeth in their new positions. Without them, your teeth have a natural tendency to drift back toward their original, crooked alignment—a process known as “relapse.” We generally offer two main types of retainers:
- Fixed Retainers (Bonded): A thin wire bonded to the back of your front teeth (usually the lower 6). It is invisible to others and works 24/7 without you having to think about it.
- Removable Retainers: Clear plastic trays (similar to Invisalign aligners) or traditional wire-and-plate appliances that you wear primarily at night.
How They Work
Teeth are not set in stone; they are held in place by bone and ligaments. After orthodontic movement, these tissues need time to stabilise and remodel around the new tooth position. A retainer acts as a passive guide. It does not move teeth; it simply holds them still. This allows the bone to harden around the roots, locking your smile in place. Even years after treatment, natural age-related changes can cause teeth to shift, which is why retention is often a lifelong commitment.
Who Is This Treatment For?
Retainers are essential for anyone who has recently completed orthodontic treatment, whether that was:
- Invisalign
- Traditional Metal Braces
- Early Intervention Orthodontics
If you had braces years ago and have lost your retainer (or your teeth have started to move), we can also create a new retainer to prevent further shifting, though you may need a short course of aligners first if you want to re-straighten them.
Protect Your Investment
You have invested time and money into straightening your teeth. Wearing your retainer as directed is the only way to protect that investment and ensure your smile stays as straight as the day you finished treatment.
