Choosing Your Retainers

Congrats! You're nearing completion of your braces or Invisalign treatment.

You’ve invested in your new smile and you want to maintain your amazing results forever, don’t you?

Invisalign Lockport IL

2 Retainer Options

Two of the most popular options for keeping your teeth from shifting after treatment are removable clear retainers and bonded retainers.

About Removable Clear Retainers

Booth Orthodontics recommends removable clear retainers for all patients (even if you choose to have a bonded retainer placed, too).

These clear, custom-shaped plastic aligners fit comfortably around all of your teeth. Worn regularly at night, these retainers hold teeth and keep spaces closed with minimal upkeep over time.

About Bonded Retainers

A bonded retainer is a custom bent wire that’s glued to the back of your front teeth. This option can be especially effective if your teeth are prone to overcrowding or spacing.

(We know this by assessing how much crowding and spacing your before-treatment scans indicate).

Bonded retainer on the lower teeth
Bonded retainer on the top of the teeth

Which Retainer Do You Choose?

Your treatment fee at Booth Orthodontics includes:

  • 2 sets (upper and lower) of removable retainers

OR

  • 1 bonded retainer with 1 set of clear retainers for your upper and lower teeth
Lockport Invisalign

Removable Clear Retainers Pros & Cons

Pros
  • Removable: easy to brush, floss and keep teeth clean
  • Wire-free: won’t irritate your tongue
  • Made from your 3D scans: replaceable anytime without an office visit

 

Cons
  • If not worn regularly, teeth may shift
  • Can be misplaced or lost when not being worn
  • If you’re a heavy grinder, you may wear through the removable retainer material

Bonded Retainers Pros & Cons

Pros
  • In 24/7 to hold the alignment of your front teeth
  • Can’t be misplaced or lost
  • Effective at keeping the teeth straight that it’s bonded to

 

Cons
  • More difficult to floss and keep front teeth clean, requiring floss threader use
  • The wire can become bent while eating/biting, sometimes unknowingly (this is why we recommend a removable over the top of the bonded retainer, worn nightly)
  • Repairs/replacements require office visits and increased cost

Retainer Replacement / Repair Cost