Orthodontics is an area of dentistry that is concerned with the treatment of improper bites and crooked teeth. Orthodontic treatment can help correct a person’s bite and set the teeth in the right place. Orthodontists usually use braces or clear aligners to set a person’s teeth in their correct positions. After a course of active orthodontic treatment, patients will typically wear retainers which maintain the teeth in their improved positions while the surrounding bone reforms around them. The retainers are generally worn full-time for a period, anywhere from just a few months to a year, then part-time (typically at night while sleeping) for as long as the orthodontist recommends. Adult orthodontic patients are more likely to need lifetime retention.
