Livermore, Pleasanton, & Tracy Retainers
The Key to Lasting Results
Retention treatment at Marcel Method Orthodontic Specialists plays an important role in preserving the results of your orthodontic care. After braces or clear aligners, retainers help keep your teeth in their new positions while your smile adjusts to its new alignment.
Dr. Marcel and Dr. Faldu will recommend a retention plan tailored to your needs, helping you protect the time, effort, and investment you’ve made in your smile.
Life After Braces and Aligners
You’ve invested time, effort, and commitment into creating your new smile. Retainers help ensure those results last by holding your teeth in their corrected positions after orthodontic treatment is complete.
While braces and aligners move your teeth, retainers help maintain that alignment. Wearing them as directed is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your smile for the future.
Dr. Marcel and Dr. Faldu offer several retainer options, allowing us to customize a retention plan based on your needs and preferences.
Hawley Retainers
Hawley retainers have been used for decades to help patients maintain their orthodontic results after braces or clear aligner treatment. Their durable design makes them a reliable option for protecting your smile and preserving the alignment achieved during treatment.
Built for Long-Term Retention
Made from a combination of acrylic and metal wire, Hawley retainers are custom-crafted to fit your smile. One of their unique advantages is adjustability. If minor shifting occurs, Dr. Marcel and Dr. Faldu may be able to modify the retainer to better fit your teeth, helping you continue your retention plan without immediately replacing the appliance.
Fixed Retainers
In certain situations, our Marcel Method Orthodontic Specialists team may recommend a fixed retainer as part of your retention plan. Unlike removable options, fixed appliances remain bonded behind the teeth to provide continuous support for maintaining alignment.
Added Protection for Certain Smiles
These are most commonly used behind the lower front teeth, where shifting can be more likely to occur. When a fixed retainer is recommended, it’s typically combined with an Essix or Hawley retainer to help maintain the position of the upper teeth and provide comprehensive retention for your smile.
Phase 1 Retainers
After Phase 1 orthodontic treatment, some younger patients may need a retainer to help preserve the progress made during this important stage of development. Depending on your child’s needs, a Twin Block can support the results achieved while the remaining permanent teeth continue to erupt.
Smooth Transitions
Twin Block retainers are removable appliances designed to help maintain jaw positioning and support healthy development following Phase 1 treatment. By holding the jaw in its corrected position, they can help guide the transition between early intervention and comprehensive orthodontic treatment.
As your child’s smile continues to develop, our team will monitor their growth and determine the ideal timing for Phase 2 treatment.
How To Keep Your Retainer in Great Shape
Your smile journey doesn’t end when your braces come off. To maintain your new, straight, healthy smile, you’ll need to make sure to take care of your retainers and wear them correctly.
Follow these instructions to ensure your confident smile lasts a lifetime:
- Wear your retainers whenever you’re home unless we tell you otherwise. You can remove them to eat and brush your teeth and to swim or play contact sports.
- Bring your retainer to follow-up appointments so we can make sure your retainer still fits correctly.
- Keep your retainer case with you so your retainers stay safe when you’re not wearing them. Always placing them in your case can prevent costly replacements.
- Call us to schedule an appointment as soon as possible if you notice that your retainer doesn’t fit properly or is cracked or broken.
- Call us right away if you lose your retainer. The longer you go without a retainer, the more quickly and likely your teeth will shift out of alignment.
- Clean your retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and warm—but not hot—water. This helps remove plaque and eliminate odors.
- Practice talking, reading, or singing out loud while wearing your retainer so your mouth adjusts quickly.
- Keep your retainers away from heat—including hot water, hot cars, the washing machine or dryer, and even your pockets—so they don’t warp and break easily.
- Treat your retainers with care and they’ll last as long as you need them to during your retention phase.
Retainers FAQs
Still have questions about what retainers in Livermore, Pleasanton, & Tracy are, what they do, and how you need to keep and maintain them? Browse our frequently asked questions below for helpful tips.