Types of Retainers
Traditional Retainers
Traditional removable retainers typically include a metal wire that surrounds the front teeth and is attached to an acrylic arch that sits in the roof of the mouth. The metal wires can be adjusted to finish treatment and continue minor movement of the front teeth as needed.
Aligner-style retainers
Aligner-style retainers, or Essix retainers, look similar to clear aligners and offer a more aesthetic alternative to wire retainers. This clear retainer may fit over the entire arch of your teeth, or only from canine to canine (clip-on retainer). It is produced from a mold of your newly aligned teeth.
Fixed retainers
Fixed retainers consist of wires bonded behind the bottom and/or top teeth. Although the device is usually required no more than a year after wisdom teeth have been extracted, it is often kept in place for life.
You’ve worked hard for your beautiful smile; keep it that way!
Finally, your braces have been removed and your smile is beautiful, straight, and best of all, metal-free! However, your orthodontic journey isn’t quite completed.
To keep your smile looking its best, you’ll have to wear a retainer to preserve and stabilize your results. Retainers are needed to control or limit potential changes in tooth position. They are used after braces treatment to hold teeth in their correct alignment while the surrounding gums, bone, and muscle adjust to the new positioning of your teeth.
Active Retainers & 3D Printing
At Jacobson & Tsou, we also offer limited treatment options with SureSmile aligners that we make utilizing our 3D printer. Never has the clear aligner experience been made easier! Using digital scans, we make custom fitting in-house aligners with the same strong, high-quality materials. We offer SureSmile aligner treatment at a fraction of the cost of traditional aligner systems.