Retainers
Free Retainers for Life
At Molen Orthodontics, your investment in a beautiful smile doesn’t end when your braces or Invisalign® come off.
We’re proud to offer the original Retainers for Life Guarantee — a promise pioneered by Dr. Bruce Molen in the 1970s to provide our patients with free retainers for life. It’s a tradition we’ve honored for decades, and a reflection of our lasting commitment to protecting your Molen Signature Smile for years to come.
What this means:
- If your clear retainers ever crack, break, warp, dissolve, explode, vaporize, get eaten by a pet or sucked up by a vacuum, just bring your final models back to us, and guess what? We’ll replace your retainers for free, forever.
- Even if you weren’t treated by us for your braces or Invisalign, or have never had braces before, you can still enroll in our “retainers for life” program. Just give us a call for details, and we’ll schedule a complimentary exam with you.
What does a retainer do?
To keep your gorgeous Molen Signature Smile looking its best year after year, retainers are key.
Without proper retention, the teeth have a natural tendency to ‘relapse’, or start shifting back toward their original position. This is because the gums and ligaments around your teeth act like elastic bands that want to “snap” back to their pre-treatment positions.
To keep this from happening and to keep your stunning new smile perfect for a lifetime, wearing your retainers regularly is key.
How long will I wear a retainer after braces or Invisalign?
It’s important that you wear your retainers every night to hold your teeth in their new alignment.
Teeth have a natural tendency to shift throughout life, so don’t let your retainer sit collecting dust in a drawer! Wear it consistently every night to preserve your smile for years and decades to come.
Types of Retainers
There are two types of retainers: removable retainers and permanent (fixed) retainers.
Removable retainers:
We provide clear, nighttime-only retainers that fit comfortably over your teeth. Think of them as pajamas for your smile! The Molen 3-in-1 Retainer not only protects your smile from shifting, but also guards against teeth grinding and can double as professional whitening trays.
Fixed retainers:
To give your smile even more protection, we also place a small, permanent wire behind your lower front teeth. This extra layer of support helps keep your teeth aligned and your smile shining for years to come.
Retainer Care Tips
What to Do
- Anytime your retainer isn’t in your mouth, store it in your retainer case. This will help prevent losing or breaking your retainer. If it’s not in your face, it’s in your case!
- To clean your retainer, simply use an extra toothbrush, non-abrasive toothpaste and cool water to gently brush your retainer inside and out. You can also soak it in denture cleaner or baking soda water (1 tsp baking soda with half-cup of cool water) once or twice a week to keep it fresh.
What Not to Do
- Never use hot water with your retainer, and don’t run it through the dishwasher. Hot water will distort or warp your retainer.
- Don’t put your retainer in your pocket, or it may break or bend.
- Don’t leave your retainer out where pets can find it. They love retainers!
How much does a retainer cost?
Your custom Molen 3-in-1 clear retainer is included in your orthodontic treatment cost! Then, any replacement retainers you need in the future are free, covered under our Free Retainers for Life guarantee.
On your first visit, we’ll create a custom financing plan that makes your investment in treatment fit your budget.
