The Tooth Directory
Find a dentist List your practice

America's Top-Rated Dentist Directory

Retainers

Fixed or removable appliances worn after orthodontic treatment to hold teeth in their new positions.

Also called retainer, essix retainer, hawley retainer, permanent retainer

National estimate

$150–$600for the full treatment

We do not yet have a sourced local range, so this is the national estimate.

Rarely covered

Usually treated as elective, so most plans pay nothing. Worth checking whether any part of the treatment is coded as medically necessary.

Cost figures are estimated ranges gathered for comparison. They are not quotes and not a guarantee of price. Your own cost depends on your mouth, your insurance and the practice you choose. Estimates only — confirm pricing with the practice.

Retainers at a glance

Appointments
A scan or impression visit, then fitting.
Recovery
None.
How long it lasts
A retainer itself is generally checked and replaced as it wears rather than on a fixed schedule. What the evidence is clear on is that consistent wear is what maintains results: long-term studies found patients who stopped wearing a retainer within 1-2 years of finishing treatment were at substantially higher risk of their bite shifting within a decade (Cochrane Library / peer-reviewed retention studies).
Who it suits
Anyone finishing orthodontic treatment, or replacing a lost or broken retainer.
Insurance
Rarely covered

About retainers

A retainer holds teeth in position after orthodontic treatment — braces or clear aligners — while the bone and ligaments around them stabilize in their new positions, and it’s what keeps a straightened smile from gradually drifting back afterward.

Why teeth move even after treatment ends

Moving a tooth with braces or aligners works by applying steady pressure that the bone gradually remodels around, letting the tooth shift position. When active treatment ends, that remodeling process isn’t instantly finished — the tissue around a newly repositioned tooth is still settling in, and without something holding the tooth in place, it’s prone to drifting back toward where it started. Beyond that immediate post-treatment period, some degree of gradual shifting is actually normal for teeth generally, treated or not, over a lifetime — which is part of why many orthodontists recommend at least occasional long-term retainer wear rather than treating it as something needed only for a fixed window after braces come off.

Fixed versus removable

A fixed retainer is a thin wire bonded to the back (tongue-facing side) of the front teeth, most commonly the lower front teeth, where it’s least visible and where drift is often most noticeable. Because it’s bonded in place, it works continuously without depending on the patient remembering to wear anything, which makes it effective as long as it stays intact — though a fixed retainer does require more careful flossing technique, since regular floss can’t simply slide through where the wire is bonded.

A removable retainer — either a clear plastic tray, similar in appearance to a clear aligner, or the traditional style with a wire and acrylic base — is taken out for eating and cleaning and worn on a schedule the orthodontist sets. It’s easier to clean thoroughly than a fixed retainer, but its effectiveness depends entirely on the patient actually wearing it as prescribed, since it does nothing while sitting in a case.

Many orthodontists recommend combining the two — a fixed retainer on the lower arch, where drift is common and a fixed wire works well, paired with a removable retainer for the upper arch — though the right combination depends on the specific case and the orthodontist’s judgment.

How the wear schedule typically tapers

Immediately after treatment, wear is generally closer to full-time, sometimes stepping down gradually to nights-only as the position stabilizes over the following months. Many orthodontists recommend some ongoing nighttime wear indefinitely, since the long-term tendency for teeth to drift doesn’t fully go away just because active treatment is over. The exact schedule and how it tapers is set by the treating orthodontist based on the specific case, rather than following one universal timeline.

Replacing a lost, broken, or outgrown retainer

A retainer that no longer fits — whether from being lost, damaged, or simply not worn for a long stretch while teeth shifted — needs to be evaluated rather than simply reordered as-is, since forcing an ill-fitting retainer can be uncomfortable or ineffective. Depending on how much movement has occurred, an orthodontist might recommend a new retainer fitted to the current position, or, if the shift is more significant, a short course of aligners or braces to guide the teeth back before a new retainer takes over to hold that result.

Retainers: common questions

How much does retainers cost?
Nationally, retainers is estimated at $150–$600 for the full treatment. Local ranges vary, and the figure is a comparison starting point rather than a quote.
Does dental insurance cover retainers?
Usually treated as elective, so most plans pay nothing. Worth checking whether any part of the treatment is coded as medically necessary.
Why do I need a retainer if my teeth are already straight?
Right after braces or aligner treatment ends, the bone and ligaments holding your teeth haven't yet fully adapted to their new positions — the teeth are, in a real sense, still settling in, and they're prone to drifting back toward their original positions if nothing holds them in place. A retainer maintains the result while that stabilization happens, and for many people, continued part-time wear over the long term is what keeps teeth from gradually shifting years later, since some drift is a normal part of aging even for teeth that were never orthodontically treated.
Fixed or removable — which is better?
Fixed retainers (a thin wire bonded to the back of the front teeth) work continuously without relying on the patient remembering to wear anything, which makes them very effective at preventing drift for as long as they're in place and intact. Removable retainers (clear plastic trays or the traditional wire-and-acrylic type) require consistent wear on the schedule the orthodontist sets, but they're easier to clean around and don't carry the risk of a bonded wire coming loose. Many orthodontists recommend a combination — a fixed lower retainer with a removable upper one, for example — and the right choice depends on the case and the patient's likely consistency with a removable option.
How long do I actually need to wear a retainer for?
The wear schedule generally tapers over time — often full-time wear for a period right after treatment, then gradually reducing to nights only. Many orthodontists recommend some level of nighttime wear indefinitely, since the tendency for teeth to shift doesn't fully disappear even years after treatment. Your orthodontist sets the specific schedule for your case, and it's worth following it as prescribed rather than assuming a fixed timeline applies universally.
What if I lost or broke my retainer years ago and stopped wearing one?
Some degree of shifting is common once retainer wear stops, and how much depends on the individual and how long it's been. If you notice your teeth have moved and want to correct it, options range from a new retainer, if the shift is minor and the teeth can be gently guided back with consistent wear, to a new short course of clear aligners or braces if the drift is more significant. It's worth having an orthodontist assess the current position rather than assuming either extreme — that it's unfixable, or that a simple retainer alone will reverse it.

No local pages yet

We publish a city page for retainers once enough local practices offer it. None have crossed that line yet.

Looking for a dentist? Browse by city.