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Dentistry vocabulary · Orthodontics

Retainer

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/rɪˈteɪnər/nounCore term

In dentistry, retainer means: An appliance used after braces or aligners to keep the teeth in their new positions. It can be removable, or a thin wire bonded behind the front teeth.

In Turkish: pekiştirme apareyi, retainer, sabitleme apareyi

How it is used

Patients wear a retainer, often at night, and orthodontists stress that teeth can drift back (relapse) without one. Types include clear (Essix) retainers, Hawley retainers and fixed or bonded retainers.

Example sentences

  1. You'll need to wear your retainer every night after the braces come off.

  2. Her bonded retainer has come loose on one tooth.

Common collocations

  • wear a retainer
  • fixed retainer
  • removable retainer
  • bonded retainer
  • clear retainer
  • bracesA fixed orthodontic appliance made of small brackets glued to the teeth and joined by a wire, which slowly moves the teeth into better positions.
  • clear alignerOne of a series of thin, transparent plastic trays made to fit the teeth closely. Each tray moves the teeth slightly, and the patient changes to the next one every week or two.
  • lingualDescribes the surface of a tooth that faces the tongue. In the upper jaw this surface is usually called palatal, because it faces the palate.
  • malocclusionA problem with the way the teeth meet or line up, such as crowding, gaps, a deep overbite or an underbite. It is the main reason for orthodontic treatment.

More terms: Orthodontics

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.