Treatment
Retainers
A retainer holds your teeth where treatment left them. Teeth keep moving through life, so wearing one is part of the plan and not an extra. Clyde makes yours in our lab, and Dr. Bhargava chooses the type and tells you how long and how often to wear it.
Removable or fixed
Made in our own lab
A wearing schedule for you
What happens
Retainers begin on the day treatment ends and continue after it.
- 01
Step 1: Choosing the type
Dr. Bhargava explains removable and fixed retainers and recommends one for your bite. A fixed retainer is a thin wire attached behind your front teeth.
- 02
Step 2: Making and fitting
Clyde makes your retainers from a fresh scan. Dr. Bhargava fits them, checks that your teeth meet comfortably, and shows you how to clean them.
- 03
Step 3: Wearing them
She gives you a schedule that usually starts with more hours and eases off. Keep wearing your retainer at night as she tells you, even years later.
- 04
Step 4: Checks and repairs
Bring a retainer that's cracked, loose or rubbing. Clyde can adjust or remake it, often while you wait.
Before you decide
Comfort
A new retainer feels tight for a few days. Removable ones can affect how you speak at first, and that usually passes as you get used to them. A fixed retainer can feel rough to your tongue until it settles.
If you wait
Skipping retainers lets teeth drift, sometimes back toward where they started. If your retainer stops fitting, call us before you try wearing it harder.
Risks and after-care
A fixed wire can loosen and trap plaque, so you brush and floss around it. Removable retainers can be lost or warped by heat. Teeth can move even with retainers if they're worn less than advised.
How it's billed
You get a written estimate before treatment starts. It lists what is included and what isn't, and how your plan's orthodontic benefit may apply. We never quote a fee over email or in a form.
How fees work
Who provides this care
Treatment is planned and checked by Dr. Jyoti Bhargava, an orthodontist. Clyde Burton makes the parts in our lab.
License
Dentist license (DMD or DDS)
AL License no. 000000 · Alabama Board of Dental Examiners
This license allows Dr. Bhargava to practice dentistry in Alabama. The owner enters the real number.
Specialty training
Residency in orthodontics
The owner names the program and year.
American Board of Orthodontics
The owner confirms board status here, or removes this line.
Questions about retainers
How long do I wear a retainer?
Dr. Bhargava gives you a schedule. Many people wear one at night for years. Ask her what's right for your bite.
Fixed or removable?
Each has trade-offs. A fixed wire can't be forgotten, and a removable one is easier to clean. She'll tell you which she'd choose and why.
What if I lose it or it breaks?
Call us. Clyde can make a replacement from your scan. Don't keep going without one.
How do I clean it?
Brush it gently with a soft brush and cool water. Hot water can warp a removable one.
Ask about retainers
If you have a retainer that doesn't fit, call and we'll tell you what to do first.