What Happens After You No Longer Need Braces?

When braces have done their job and moved your teeth into the desired position, you will still need to take steps to ensure they don't move back.

You will normally be given retainers to wear after the braces are no longer needed to ensure the teeth don't drift to their original position.

The most popular type of retainer uses metal hooks that surround the teeth enclosed by an acrylic plate shaped to fit your palate.

If your teeth are not ready for a retainer, your orthodontist may suggest using a pre-finisher.

This is made of rubber and is similar to a mouth guard. It fixes gaps between the teeth, small spaces between the upper and lower jaw, and other minor problems that braces cannot fix.

A pre-finisher is molded to your teeth with pressure applied. You then be advised to apply pressure to it for a few seconds at a time over a set period until it completes its job.

The retainer and pre-finisher are temporary and can be moved in and out of your mouth.