If you’re a parent of a teen who has just got his braces off, you may be wondering about clear retainers for your child. Specifically you may have questions about clear retainers (Invisible Retainers or Essix retainers) vs wire retainers (Hawley Retainers). There are some pros and cons for each kind of retainer, such as cost, comfort, aesthetics, natural tooth contact, hygiene, and maintenance. Here is a break down of the pros and cons.
Cost
Clear Retainer: Traditional getting this from a dentist would cost you $150 – $300. Fortunately, there are alternatives to the dentist such as Clear Retain. Clear Retain can make you a clear retainer as low as $79. This is quite a bit cheaper than $300. If you use the discount code ALWAYS-SMILING on Clear Retain’s website at checkout you will get 5% off your purchase.
Wire Retainer: Just like a clear retainer, a wire retainer through a dentist or orthodontist will cost between $150 – $300. A less expensive way is to have a wire retainer made by a business such as Custom Teeth Devices.
Comfort and Speech
Clear Retainer: A clear retainer covers only the teeth and is designed to not touch anything else in the mouth. Because of this your tongue can move freely when talking and won’t cause any speech problems.
Wire retainers This type of retainer has an acrylic plate that sit on the palate behind the anterior teeth. This acrylic plate causes some people to have a lisp when they talk.
The Look
Clear Retainer: Just as the name says this retainer is clear, which makes it less noticeable. If you feel self conscious about your smile then a clear retainer make sense and its a great alternative to braces.
Wire Retainer: This looks better than braces with a wire running across the front of your teeth to keep your teeth from moving. Though better than braces a wire retainer, to many people, is more noticeable than a clear retainer.
Natural Tooth Contact
Clear Retainer: Will not allow your teeth (bite) to touch naturally. This may cause some discomfort for those who are not use to this.
Wire Retainer: Natural tooth contact (bite) will not be interfered with. You will be able to bite down natural and have your teeth touch naturally.
Cleaning and Hygiene
Clear Retainer: On the inner surface that contacts your teeth it is delicate and short to carefully clean. If not cleaned carefully, there is a tendency to stain over time.
Wire Retainer: Staining is not much of a concern since the acrylic plate can be cleaned with toothpaste and water. The stainless wire will never stain.
Maintenance
Clear Retainer: More maintenance is needed as these are made of a thin material and may crack under pressure. You can’t bend them since they are custom made to firmly fit over your teeth. Any deformity will render them useless.
Wire Retainer: Sturdier and can be adjusted if a tweak is required. If you care for them they will last as long as needed.
Conclusion
As a parent you’ll want to take into consideration if your child will feel confident with the look of the retainer, how it effects his or her speech, and how diligent your child will be at cleaning his or her retainer.
Discount code: ALWAYS-SMILING to get 5% of your purchase at Clear Retain
