Retention
Retainers
Clear Essix retainers vacuum-formed on site from your own scan, Vivera retainers for extra durability, and replacements when you need one. Retention was written into your plan from the start, so this stage is never a surprise.
Chapter 01
The stage after the braces or aligners come off
Retention is the last stage on the timeline, not an afterthought tacked on once the active work is finished. Teeth that have just been moved still want to drift back toward where they started, and a retainer is what holds the position you paid for while the bone and gum around each tooth settle into it.
Because that stage is planned from day one, it is built into your treatment plan rather than sprung on you at the end. You will know what your retention looks like before you ever start moving a single tooth.
A treatment room at Becker Orthodontics, set up for the retention stage of care
Clear Essix, made on site from your own scan
Most patients wear a clear Essix retainer, a thin, custom clear tray vacuum-formed right here from a digital scan of your own teeth, no messy impression trays involved. It is worn at night and holds your teeth in the position they finished treatment in.
Vivera retainers are also available for patients who want a more durable, longer-wearing option. Either way, the fit comes from your own scan, not a generic mold.
Chapter 03
What it costs, and what a replacement costs
Retainers in Plymouth Meeting and Phoenixville generally range from $100 to $1,000 depending on which option you choose, and your first retainer is normally already covered inside your treatment plan.
Retainers do get lost, worn out, or outgrown, especially with kids. A replacement retainer typically costs about $150 per arch, so getting a new one made is a quick, known cost rather than a guessing game.
Becker Orthodontics builds a retention plan into every course of treatment. Call (610) 935-1547.