Should you wear a fixed or removable retainer?

If you have just had your dental braces removed, you will need to wear a retainer in order to stop your teeth from becoming crooked again. Your dentist may offer you a choice of fixed or removable retainers. Which should you choose?

Fixed retainers

A fixed retainer is a wire that is permanently bonded to the teeth-- usually, the bottom six front teeth, as these are the teeth that are most prone to shifting position, but it can sometimes be fixed to the upper teeth as well.

A fixed retainer is a permanent solution to keep the teeth in place. It will be unobtrusive and you will quickly forget that it is there. It also has the advantage that it can be worn in conjunction with a removable retainer, ensuring the best possible care for your teeth.

There a few downsides though. Firstly, you may need to take extra care while brushing your teeth. Learning new brushing techniques or using special brushes may be beneficial. Secondly, fixed retainers can cause problems if they break or debond, which may happen without you realising. This can lead to one or more teeth shifting in their positions, which can mean needing to wear braces again. And of course, they only protect the teeth that they are fixed to.

Removable retainers

Removable retainers take the form of thin clear gumshields that fit over your teeth to keep them in position. They will be custom-made to fit your teeth. You will probably only need to wear them at night and so will not have to worry about the effect they have on your smile (although in fact, they should be nearly invisible anyway).

Their advantage is that they prevent all of your teeth from shifting position, not just the front ones. They leave your teeth easy to clean, as the retainer can be removed for brushing and flossing.

The downside is that it is easy to forget to wear them or to lose them altogether. You may find yourself having to pay for new ones if you lose them. They may also break, particularly if you have forgotten to use them and you have to force them onto teeth that have shifted position.

If you have any doubts or questions as to which retainers to use or about custom braces, just talk to your dentist, who will help you decide which solution is best for you.