Are there different types of retainers ?

Question

My son just got his top braces removed . I thought his retainer would be the traditional metal type.Instead, he was given one that resembles Invisalign(it may even be an invisalign)I prefer this type much more,you can't tell he has a retainer on.

Are the metal ones now ,old news?

Or,do some dentist still use them?.

Answer 1

some dentists stil use the metal ones but the newest most used ones are the clear plastic.

Answer 2

Some still use the metal ones. When i first got my braces off, I was given the clear ones. When I went to go replace the bottom retainer they gave me a metal one. So now i have one metal and one clear/invisalign. The clear ones are WAY better and more comfortable.

Answer 3

There are many types of retainers.  The most popular is the "hawley retainer" which is the old pink one you used to see alot.  THe benefits of this retainer is that it can be adjusted and tightened in the future.   The downside is that it could be a pain to keep clean and plaque free.

The Invisalign retainer is great, however it cannont be adjusted, so if for whatever reason you don't use it for a week and try to put it back in, it will be hard to do.

Different cases require different retainers, so it is best to ask your orthodontist.