Retention is a vital part of any orthodontic treatment. All teeth need to be retained indefinitey.

It takes around twelve months for the ligaments and bone which hold the teeth in place to ‘heal’ after a course of orthodontic treatment. This is only part of the story as all teeth can move throughout our lives. The reasons for this are not fully understood but is likely to be due to late growth changes in our face and changing muscle forces on the teeth due to age. Because of these changes, the teeth need to be retained for life.

This will involve removable retainers worn at night for 1-2 nights per week indefinitely.

We can also supplement removable retainers with some that are bonded invisibly on the inside surface of the teeth. These retain the teeth which are most likely to move with age and are a great option if you want the teeth to remain aligned long-term. Fixed retainers are available in private treatments.