You’ve made it through orthodontic treatment, and your smile looks amazing. Now comes the part that keeps it that way—wearing your retainer. At Grosman Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry, we create custom retainers Davie patients trust to maintain their beautiful results for years.
Think of retainers as the unsung heroes of orthodontic care. They work quietly behind the scenes, holding your teeth in new positions while the surrounding bone and tissue settle into place. Without proper retention, teeth can return to their original spots, and nobody wants that after investing time and effort into treatment.
Your teeth have memory. Seriously! After braces or clear aligners move them into perfect alignment, they naturally want to drift back to where they started. The ligaments and fibers around your teeth need time to adapt to their new arrangement, and that’s exactly what retainers help them do.
Dr. G has seen countless patients who skipped wearing their retainers and needed additional treatment later. The teeth don’t wait long to start moving—sometimes you’ll notice shifting within just a few weeks of stopping retainer wear. That’s why we emphasize retention as strongly as the active treatment phase.
Every patient has different needs, preferences, and lifestyles. That’s why we offer several retainer options:
Hawley Retainers
These classic retainers feature a metal wire that crosses the front of your teeth, held in place by an acrylic arch against your mouth’s roof. They’re durable, adjustable, and you can customize the acrylic part with colors or designs. Kids especially love choosing their favorite patterns.
Clear Retainers
Similar in appearance to clear aligners, these retainers fit snugly over your teeth and stay virtually invisible. They’re popular with teens and adults who want to maintain their results without anyone noticing they wear a retainer. The clear design makes them perfect for school photos, presentations, or special events.
Fixed Retainers
Also called bonded or permanent retainers consist of a thin wire bonded to the back of your front teeth. You can’t remove them, which means you can’t forget to wear them. Many patients appreciate the “set it and forget it” nature of fixed retainers, especially for the lower front teeth that tend to shift most easily.
Whether your child just finished their orthodontics treatment for children or you’re an adult who completed orthodontics for adults, we design retention plans that fit your specific situation. Dr. Maria and Dr. Lizzy work closely with our orthodontic team to monitor younger patients’ dental development during the retention phase.
We typically recommend full-time retainer wear for children and teens for the first several months, then transition to nighttime-only wear. Adults might need a different schedule depending on their treatment complexity and how their teeth respond. Some patients wear retainers every night indefinitely, while others eventually move to a few nights per week.
Retainers need regular cleaning to stay fresh and functional. For removable retainers, brush them gently with a soft toothbrush and mild soap or retainer cleaner. Avoid hot water, which can warp the plastic. Store them in their protective case when you’re not wearing them—we’ve heard too many stories about retainers accidentally thrown away with lunch trash or chewed up by family pets.
Fixed retainers require extra attention during your regular oral hygiene routine. To clean between your teeth properly, you’ll need to thread floss under the wire or use a floss threader. Regular dental checkups help us monitor your fixed retainer and secure the bonding.
Life happens. Retainers get lost, broken, or damaged. If something happens to your retainer, contact us right away. The sooner we replace it, the less chance your teeth have to shift. We keep your dental impressions and records on file, often speeding up the replacement process. Our emergency dental care team responds quickly to get you back on track for urgent situations.
We understand that orthodontic care represents a significant investment, and retention is part of protecting that investment. Our financial information team works with families to make retainers and replacement retainers affordable. We accept various payment options and insurance plans, and are always happy to discuss payment arrangements that work for your budget.
Our practice welcomes patients from throughout Davie, Southwest Ranches, and the surrounding communities. We’ve built our reputation on providing exceptional orthodontics care from start to finish, and retention is crucial to that commitment. When you trust us with your smile, we take that responsibility seriously through every phase of treatment.
Whether you need new retainers Davie residents can rely on, replacement retainers, or a retention checkup, our team is here to help. We make the process simple, comfortable, and tailored to your needs. Your beautiful smile deserves protection, and quality retainers provide exactly that.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment. We’ll answer all your questions, discuss your retention options, and create a plan that keeps your smile looking its absolute best for a lifetime. Your perfect smile is worth maintaining—let’s ensure it stays that way together.
