Retainers for kids
These are the most important part of your treatment if you want your teeth to remain straight. They are usually of the clear plastic gum-shield type and are worn every night for at least 6 months after the teeth are moved to the correct position; the wear is then gradually reduced to about twice a week at bedtime; nowadays we usually advise that they continue to be worn twice a week for as long as you want to keep your teeth straight. This is because there remains a tendency for teeth to move a little – no matter how old you are.
We like to keep a check on your teeth for a year or so after removing fixed braces – this usually involves a very quick check every 3 – 6 months to make sure the teeth are staying where we want them. See our instruction movies on retainer use for more information.