What do orthodontic retainers do?

Retain: They retain your teeth in their final position after the treatment has ended and any appliances have been removed.

Hold current state: Retainers retain the teeth in their current position. Some minor movement can be done with them. However, they are incapable of moving the entire tooth. Braces are needed for that.

Maintain your result: Retainers are your maintenance device for your teeth. I have a saying I use in the office every day: perfect doesn't maintain itself, it requires input. You have perfect teeth when your braces are removed. As you grow older things change, but we would like our teeth to not change, because change from perfect would be in the wrong direction. Wear your retainers as directed by your orthodontist.

Hold Teeth: An orthodontic retainer, by definition, retains or hold teeth in their current position. Post-orthodontic retainers are fabricated after the completion of orthodontic treatment to hold the teeth in their new position. Even w/o orthodontic treatment, retainers will hold teeth in their current position.

Hold teeth: And keep them from moving back to where they started before orthodontic treatment.

Hold teeth : Orthodontic retainers are passive appliances designed to just hold your teeth in the position when the impression of your teeth was taken.

Stabilization: Retainers do exactly what their name implies, they "retain," they hold teeth in position after orthodontic correction. When teeth straightened it's not like putting steel posts into concrete. Things change. Adults have a whole new skeleton every 7-8 years. Want your tenth to stay straight? Wear retainers EXACTLY as directed.

Purpose of Retainers: After your braces come off, the dentist will fit you with a custom made retainer. The purpose of the retainer is to keep the teeth in their new alignment. Your teeth aren’t settled in the new positions just yet, which is why you will be required to wear the retainer. Contact your dentist for an assessment.