As we know, braces are designed to realign crooked teeth. You may find it quite exciting to see what has been accomplished on the day of removing your braces, but only to be told that you have to wear retainer for another long period of time. It may bring confusion whether retainer wearing is really necessary since braces have already straightened the misaligned teeth.

    According to orthodontists from AKJ Dental Hospital, it’s absolutely necessary.

    Braces and retainer are two totally different devices. Neither of them can be skipped to conduct a successful orthodontic service. 

    Braces serve to move teeth towards a desirable direction by applying proper pressure on teeth and thus achieve the realignment of teeth. There is no denying that braces play a critical role in orthodontics. Nowadays, there are various kinds of braces available, including metal braces, ceramic braces, resin braces and lingual braces. 

    As for retainer, it’s used to stabilize teeth in their new position after the removal of braces. Braces have moved teeth to their desirable position but they are yet to settle there. Without the restraints from a retainer, chances are that the teeth will move back to their previous positions.  

    By no means can you ignore the importance of wearing a retainer. In clinical practices, it’s not rare to see orthodontic relapse due to not well wearing retainer. That means all your long-terms efforts before have gone in vain. Now there are generally three types of retainer — lingual bonded retainer, hawley retainer and wraparound retainer. 

    Consult with your orthodontist and get a fittest one for your case. Please feel free to contact me if there’s any dental problem. (WeChat ID: aiyuan325180)