Retainers are a great way to keep your teeth in their rightful place after you finish wearing braces. However, retainers have other uses as well that you may not know about. If you have a mild issue with malocclusion, a retainer may be perfect for you.

What Are Retainers?

Orthodontists have regularly used retainers in their practices since the mid-20th century. There are different types of retainers. The most common type of retainer is made from acrylic or plastic and wire. Each retainer is unique to its owner. You may wear a retainer on your top teeth, your bottom teeth, or on both your top and bottom teeth. Some people have permanent retainers cemented into their mouths.

Why Would I Need A Retainer?

Most often, orthodontists use retainers after braces or other orthodontic work is completed to keep your teeth in their corrected positions. You will need a retainer after braces because if you don’t wear a retainer each night, your teeth will gradually shift back into their normal positions, which ruins all of that orthodontic work you just completed.

People who wear retainers at night find their teeth remain straight, evenly spaced, and with a corrected bite. If you continue your retainer use, your malocclusion will not get worse. When you don’t wear your retainer for your malocclusion, you are risking jaw joint issues, which can lead to pain and an inability to open and close your mouth.

Your orthodontist may choose to put you in a retainer if you have a mild tooth spacing issue. For example, many people have a space between their two front teeth that needs to be closed. If the space isn’t huge, you may be able to wear a retainer each evening that would allow the space to close. While retainers are most often used for aftercare after braces, they may be the perfect option for you.