Orthodontic Teeth Retainers Melbourne

What are clear  Essix Retainers?

Retainers are a vital component of post-parting orthodontic treatment. When your orthodontist confirms that your teeth are sufficiently aligned, your braces will be removed. Retainers are then used as support for your teeth, they not only provide strength but also prevent your teeth from retracting to the untreated position.

Essix is a brand of retainers. Essix manufactures retainers from a transparent material, generally plastic that gets camouflaged in your mouth. Prior to these, retainers were white in color or metallic wires. Like braces, retainers as well are available in several models and Essix clear retainers are generally preferred.

An Essix retainer is specifically molded. Your orthodontist will custom make it for your teeth. You may need to wear these throughout the day or night, subject to your condition. Retainers may cover all teeth or a group that needs an alignment. They help maintain the alignment and preserve your newly formed perfect smile. You may also be prescribed these if you have minor alignment issues. However, in most cases, they serve both purposes.

Advantages

 Essix clear retainers are thin as they are made by vacuum molding and light as they are made of plastic. In a few days, you will get so accustomed to them that you will feel as if you are not wearing any retainers at all. They will not be visible unless someone looks very closely at your teeth. By wearing these you will not only hold a beautiful smile but also rest assured that they are holding your teeth and guiding them to perfect placement.

These are lighter and more comfortable compared to traditional retainers made of metal and wires. Unlike metal, they do not irritate your gums as they are smooth and custom moulded.

They are removable, so you can remove and cleanse your teeth and have a normal feeling while eating, brushing, etc. Also, they are easy to maintain as they can be removed and cleaned thoroughly with cleaning solutions and a soft brush.

They can also be used as teeth whitening trays, you can simply buy teeth whitening gel from us and we can guide you on how to use your new retainers for teeth whitening J.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantage of Essix retainer is that it is weaker compared to metal or wires. It can wear off when chewing, especially hard substances. It may also deform with heat.

Another disadvantage is that the shape of Essix retainers is final and cannot be adjusted any further. Due to this they can only work to a limited extent to adjust your teeth and can be used only for minor corrections.

Cost of Orthodontic Retainers in Melbourne.

The cost of retainers per arch is upper or lower is $300 that included free comprehensive initial consultation valued at $120. The cost of both top and bottom retainers will be $600.Our retainers are made from the best labs in Melbourne and are of very high quality to last longer. Please note the quality of our retainers is the same as vivera  Invisalign retainers.

FAQ

How long it take to make retainers?

The first step is to do a detailed assessment of your teeth, gums, and bite to prescribe you a retention option. At the end of the appointment, we take your dental impressions and send it out to the best labs in Melbourne. Usually, it takes 24-48 hours to make your retainers and your second appointment is organized to see a fitment check to make sure your retainers are fitting into the correct position as required.

Do you do DIY retainers?

 NO, we don't provide DIY retainers as prescribing retainers requires three major steps which cannot be replaced without seeing patients.  

•  A physical orthodontic examination to check the current status of teeth and based on the outcome prescribe you retention options like clear Essix retainers, Hawley retainer or Lingual retainer.
• Taking correct impressions, As easy it may look but taking an impression is the most technical process which requires the right pressure, technique, angle, time, and materials used. A dentist knows tooth structures, margins and works on your impressions to ensure it's ready to send to the labs. From the patient side, too hard bite, gags or reflux can hinder the impression process. Sometimes if the impressions are not rightly taken we might have to repeat the process.
• Fitment check, once we receive your retainers we do a fitment check to ensure the retainers fit correctly in your mouth. Any rough edges could be smoothed out to suit individual comfort and oral care instructions are provided.

Case Study Emily: Emily finished her orthodontic treatment three years back and has broken four sets of retainers. Emily decided to book a free appointment with us and was advised to bring her old broken retainers. After her initial appointment and review of her broken retainers, our orthodontist discovered Emily grinds her teeth at sleep resulting in excessive pressure on her retainers ultimately increasing wear and tear on her retainers. Emily was advised to get Hawley retainers and follow up with her dentist in regards to her grinding issue.

 This is one of the examples of why it is important to do an assessment before prescribing orthodontic replacement retainers.