Clear removable retainer

Essix retainer and clear trays in the AAO’s words

Clear removable retainer is not a heading in the Glossary of Orthodontic Terms of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO); its nearest, the Essix Retainer entry, reads “A removable retainer made of a clear, plastic-like material.”

The AAO’s retainers page describes the appliance by its use: “Clear retainers are removable plastic trays that sit over your teeth. They can be worn following orthodontic treatment to maintain your results.” The AAO’s FAQ adds what they are made of: “Clear retainers are transparent trays made of a plastic-like material that are exact replicas of the teeth.”

Clear retainer or clear aligner: holding teeth, not moving them

A clear removable retainer is easy to mistake for a clear aligner; an AAO article on dental retainers says clear retainers resemble clear aligners. The two do different jobs. The American Dental Association’s MouthHealthy site names braces and aligners as the appliances orthodontists most commonly use to guide teeth into their proper positions, then turns to retainers: “Retainers preserve and stabilize the results of your orthodontic treatment.”

The AAO glossary puts the two in order, defining a retainer as “A fixed or removable appliance worn after braces are removed or aligner therapy is complete,” worn “to minimize unwanted tooth movement after active treatment ends.” Clear trays worn to move the teeth are aligners; a clear tray worn after treatment is a retainer, and your orthodontist’s plan says which one you have.

Clear Removable Retainers at the practice, and who sets the wear

Clear removable retainers are one of the two kinds of retainer the practice names. We offer permanent retainers or clear removable retainers.

The AAO leaves the wear to the orthodontist: “The amount and frequency of retainer wear can vary, so follow your orthodontist’s instructions rather than relying on a general schedule.”

The main retainers page takes up choosing between clear and fixed retainers, how to clean a clear retainer gets its own answer, and fixed retainer, the bonded kind, is listed with the glossary’s retention terms.