After a person has completed their treatment with braces, they will need to wear a retainer to keep their stunning new smile and continue to improve their oral health. But can a retainer be obtained without the use of braces?
It is not possible for retainers to execute sophisticated tooth movements or to exert pressure on individual teeth in the same way that braces are designed to do.
There is an increasing number of adults who are seeking orthodontic treatment to straighten their teeth. However, whereas in the past, the classic bracket-and-wire form of braces was the technique of choice for getting the job done, a significant number of people in today’s society are looking for ways to straighten their teeth without the use of braces.
How Do Retainers Work?
The most typical use for retainers is to assist with the maintenance of proper tooth position after orthodontic treatment has been completed. Additionally, retainers can be used to correct mild spacing between one or two teeth as well as the mild crowding of one or two teeth. When this occurs, the dentist could recommend using a retainer instead of braces as the first step toward correcting the condition.
Read More: How Teeth Retainers Work
Can You Get A Retainer Instead of Getting Braces?
In most cases, following a length of time spent wearing braces to straighten teeth, retainers will be required to keep the teeth in their new position while they settle and the gums get stronger. This is done so that the teeth may be cleaned more easily. After a brief length of time spent wearing the retainers nonstop, the patient will only need to do so for a predetermined amount of time each day; they can be removed throughout the day, at night, and when they are eating.
When compared to braces, a retainer is used for a different purpose. A retainer is a dental appliance that is worn over the upper or lower teeth to prevent the teeth from moving out of their proper alignment as a result of normal chewing and talking. There is no way that retainers can perform the same job as braces or Invisalign in any way, shape, or form; nonetheless, there are some situations in which your orthodontist may recommend that you wear a retainer instead of a full set of braces or before you obtain a full set of braces.
Retainers may be used in place of a full set of braces if the problem with one or two of your teeth is quite minor and can be adjusted with relative ease. In this scenario, the problem has the potential to be resolved. To elaborate, retainers are able to treat minor issues such as single tooth modifications, little gaps between teeth, and other very minor issues. If there are any further modifications that need to be made to your teeth, braces are the most appropriate solution. If your mouth needs additional orthodontic refinement, your orthodontist probably won’t even give you the choice of acquiring a retainer to repair the issues if you want them fixed. Standard braces are typically recommended for patients who have issues such as an overbite, underbite, crossbite, multiple gaps, or crooked teeth.
If you don’t want to deal with braces, you have the option of having Invisalign instead, provided that your orthodontist recommends you as a good candidate for the treatment. You can get the benefits of braces with this alternative, but they won’t be noticeable, and you won’t have to change your diet. However, despite its many advantages over traditional braces, Invisalign is not the same thing. You should always select the alternative that provides you with the most favorable set of conditions.
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Braces vs. Retainers
Retainers are useful for correcting minor issues, but the materials that they are produced from are not robust enough to realign numerous teeth at once or teeth that are badly misaligned. As was mentioned previously, their primary function is to maintain the new position of the teeth following realignment until such time as the teeth are sufficiently strong that they no longer require support.
On the other hand, braces are far more robust than other options. The teeth are fitted with a little metal or ceramic plate, and the plates are joined to one another by a metal wire. Adjusting this wire causes pressure to be applied to the teeth, which in turn causes the teeth to be softly pushed into the correct position.
Braces are excellent for addressing issues that require complex tooth movement such as overcrowding in the mouth, overlapping or crooked teeth, and malocclusion, which means one jaw is bigger than the other, producing over- or under-bite because they act on all of the teeth at the same time.
As can be seen, retainers and braces are not the same things, and they cannot be substituted for one another in the treatment of all problems.
Make an appointment with us now if you are still unsure about which treatment option is best for you. Dr. Kumra will evaluate your requirements and discuss the various treatment choices available to you so that you can make an informed decision.
Which Option is Best for Me?
It is not a matter of picking one or the other when it comes to retainers and braces; rather, it is a matter of working together to offer you a beautiful smile that will last a lifetime. Even while you might choose more discreet treatments like clear aligners, it is essential that you get the appropriate treatment for your smile, which might include traditional braces. Making an appointment with your orthodontic professional in order to have a thorough consultation is the only way to know for certain which treatment plan would work best for your specific situation and needs.
Read more: Do Braces Make Your Lips Bigger?
Consult Kumra Orthodontics to learn more about can you get a retainer without braces
If you are considering a retainer to straighten your teeth, it is important to consult with an orthodontist like Kumra Orthodontics. We can help you determine if a retainer alone will be able to give you the results you are looking for or if braces may be a better option for you. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can help improve your smile!
