Richmond Retainers
Keep Your Smile Straight & Healthy
Retainers at Borders Orthodontics are an important part of maintaining your orthodontic results after braces or clear aligners. They help keep your smile in alignment while supporting the long-term health and appearance of your teeth.
Lasting Results for Richmond Smiles
After braces or clear aligner treatment, retainers help keep your smile looking healthy, straight, and confident for years to come. Wearing your retainer consistently is one of the most important steps in maintaining your orthodontic results.
At Borders Orthodontics, Dr. Catharine Borders offers customized retainer options designed to fit your smile and long-term needs. We provide Essix retainers, Hawley retainers, and more to help you keep smiling your best.
Essix Retainers
Essix retainers at Borders Orthodontics are designed to protect your smile results with a comfortable, nearly invisible retainer option. Similar in appearance to clear aligners, they fit snugly over your teeth to help maintain long-term alignment.
How Essix Retainers Work
Using advanced digital scans, Dr. Borders creates custom Essix retainers tailored specifically to your smile. The retainers fully cover your teeth to help prevent shifting while still offering a lightweight, low-profile feel.
Because they’re removable, Essix retainers make eating, brushing, and flossing simple and convenient.
Hawley Retainers
At Borders Orthodontics, Hawley retainers remain a trusted option for protecting orthodontic results long after treatment ends. Their sturdy design and long-lasting durability make them a dependable choice for many patients.
How Hawley Retainers Work
Hawley retainers use a custom-molded acrylic base and metal wire to help maintain your smile alignment after braces or clear aligners. Each retainer is designed to fit your unique smile comfortably and securely.
Their adjustable design also allows Dr. Borders to make small corrections if teeth begin shifting slightly over time.
In-House Retainers
At Borders Orthodontics, Dr. Borders offers custom in-house retainers designed to help protect your smile results with a personalized, comfortable fit. Because every smile is unique, our retainers are created specifically around your teeth and long-term retention needs.
How In-House Retainers Work
Our in-house retainers are made from clear, BPA-free material designed for comfortable everyday wear. Using advanced digital scans and in-office technology, Dr. Borders creates retainers tailored precisely to your smile right here in our Richmond office.
Creating retainers in-house also helps make replacements faster and more convenient if your retainer is lost or damaged, helping keep your smile on track.
Fixed Retainers
In some cases, Dr. Borders may recommend a fixed retainer after orthodontic treatment to help maintain long-term smile alignment. Fixed retainers are bonded behind the teeth, offering added support for patients who may be more prone to shifting.
How Fixed Retainers Work
Fixed retainers are typically placed behind the lower front teeth to help keep them in their corrected positions over time. Because they stay securely attached, they provide continuous support without needing to be removed or reinserted daily.
At Borders Orthodontics, fixed retainers are only recommended in specific situations and are often paired with an Essix or Hawley retainer to help maintain the alignment of your upper teeth as well.
Phase 1 Retainers
Some children may wear a Twin Block retainer after Phase 1 treatment to help maintain their progress as they continue growing. These appliances support healthy jaw development and help prepare the smile for future orthodontic treatment if needed.
How Phase 1 Retainers Work
Twin Block retainers use specially designed acrylic sections to gently guide the jaw forward and support proper bite alignment during growth. This helps create space for permanent teeth to erupt more naturally and encourages healthy contact between the teeth.
As your child’s smile continues developing, Dr. Borders will monitor their progress and determine the best timing for Phase 2 treatment.
Taking Care of Your Retainer
Your smile journey continues even after braces or clear aligner treatment is complete. Wearing and caring for your retainers properly helps protect the healthy, confident smile you worked hard to achieve.
Follow these tips to help keep your smile aligned for years to come:
- Wear your retainers as directed. You can remove them while eating, brushing your teeth, swimming, or playing contact sports.
- Bring your retainers to your follow-up visits so Dr. Borders can make sure they still fit properly.
- Always store your retainers in their case when not in use to help prevent damage or costly replacements.
- Contact our office if your retainer feels loose, uncomfortable, cracked, or broken.
- Let us know right away if your retainer is lost. Teeth can begin shifting surprisingly quickly without proper retainer wear.
- Clean your retainers daily using a toothbrush, toothpaste, and warm water to help remove buildup and keep them fresh.
- Keep your retainers away from heat, including hot water, hot cars, washers, dryers, and pockets, since heat can warp the material.
- With proper care and consistent wear, your retainers can help maintain your smile for years to come.
Retainers FAQs
Wondering what life with retainers is like? Here’s what to expect when retaining your smile post-treatment at Borders Orthodontics.
After your active treatment is over, you’ll need to wear your retainers full-time for approximately one year. When the year is up, you’ll continue wearing your retainers at “nighttime for a lifetime” to maintain your beautiful treatment results.
You will need to replace your retainers periodically, usually every two to four years.
Just like brushing your teeth, cleaning your retainer should be a regular part of your oral hygiene routine.
Gently brush your retainer with water each night. You can also soak your retainer in retainer cleaner once a week for five to ten minutes.
If you stop wearing your retainer, your teeth can gradually begin shifting out of alignment over time. Consistent retainer wear helps protect the smile results you achieved through orthodontic treatment.
No. You should always remove your removable retainer before eating or drinking anything besides water. This helps prevent damage, staining, and buildup on your retainer.
A retainer that suddenly feels tight may be a sign that your teeth have started shifting slightly. Continue wearing it as directed and contact Borders Orthodontics if the tightness continues or the retainer no longer fits properly.