Orthodontists most often use dental retainers after an orthodontic patient has had braces. Once the orthodontist removes the braces, the orthodontist fits the patient with a teeth retainer to hold the teeth in the desired position. Orthodontists generally offer the traditional Hawley type of teeth retainers, with a wire attached to a plastic base, as well as some newer styles such as the clear plastic type that entirely cover the teeth. While an important part of orthodontic treatment, it can be costly for patients to buy dental retainers. The most affordable dental retainers cost several hundred dollars.

There are several types of jobs that involve dental retainers, including laboratory workers who make the retainers, orthodontic assistants who fit the retainers, and professionals who sell retainers as well as add-ons such as dental retainer cases and products to clean dental retainers.

Explore these career options involved with dental retainers:

1. Look for opportunities for growth as a dental laboratory technician, who makes custom dental retainers for patients.

2. Explore training in dental retainer sales, working with orthodontic office staff.

3. Seek vocational training for education as an orthodontic assistant, who can fit dental retainers and work directly with patients and their families.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look at opportunities in dental retainer sales

There is opportunity for knowledgeable salespeople in the dental field. Those candidates who have hands-on experience fitting patients with appliances such as dental retainers have an advantage over inexperienced candidates.

I recommend: Imaging Sciences International trains salespeople in using their imaging technology, used to evaluate patients for dental retainers. Ortho Technology spells out the preferred qualifications for field salespeople for dental retainers and other appliances, including a bachelor's degree and dental sales and clinical experience.

Seek training as a laboratory technician who makes dental retainers

The laboratory technicians who make dental retainers should pursue dental training at trade schools and through continuing education. Voluntary certification is available to ensure the highest level of professionalism for lab technicians.

I recommend: The U.S. government Bureau of Labor Statistics has information on training dental laboratory technicians, who make teeth retainers and other orthodontic appliances. The National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology offers continuing education and voluntary certification for professionals in laboratories who make teeth retainers.

Learn to work with orthodontic patients, dispensing retainers information

You can gain valuable dental retainers education and training through vocational training offered through dental schools. These schools can get students up to speed on the latest technology in appliances such as dental retainers.

I recommend: Education Portal describes the training necessary to become an orthodontist assistant, suggesting an associate degree from an accredited dental school. The United States Dental Institute offers courses and certifications including the Invisalign dental retainer.

To prevent teeth from returning to their position before braces were applied, orthodontists and dentists usually advise a patient to wear dental retainers. If the patient doesn't abide by this, the teeth could shift, defeating the purpose of not only the dental retainer itself, but the braces.

Whether it's a Hawley retainer, in which an acrylic plate is formed to fit the shape of the palate; the Essix retainer, in which a clear plastic tray is form-fitted to the shape of the teeth and held together by suction; or the bonded retainer, which is held in place near the tongue, you need to instruct your patients to use and care for their dental retainer properly.

When looking for the correct teeth retainers for your patients, consider the following:

1. Purchase materials to form a mold of a patient's mouth.

2. Locate creative dental retainer manufacturers.

3. Equip your office with dental retainer cleaners and cases to pass along to your patients.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy materials to create a dental teeth retainer

When your patient has completed wearing braces and is ready to buy dental retainers, you need to make a mold of the patient's mouth. Although you made a mold before you applied the braces, the teeth have realigned, thus requiring you to form a new mold. Make sure you have alginate, a soft material that hardens on the teeth, and a horseshoe-shaped tray that you place over the patient's teeth. This results in an imprint of the teeth. Your lab technician should then pour plaster into the impression of the patient's mouth to produce the plaster models of teeth.

I recommend: Best Buy Dental Supply Inc. offers alginate in both fast set and regular set. Interguide Dental and Medical Supply has alginate in gel as well as fast set and regular set in powder form. You can find plastic trays that are rigid and have holes close together, which provide better retention for the alginate to settle, at Alibaba.com.

Find creative dental retainer companies

Just because your patient must wear a retainer, it doesn't mean he can't have a little fun with it. Certain companies specialize in unique retainer designs. Colors, designs and even sayings can be printed on his retainer to make it more enjoyable for him to wear. Suggest your patient buy custom dental retainers if hesitant to wear a regular retainer.

I recommend: From the American flag and peace signs to pandas and ladybugs, Harris Orthodontic Library offers a variety of customized acrylic retainers. Johns Dental Laboratories can create a cow, soccer ball or even smiley faces to put on customized retainers.

Stock up on dental retainer cases and cleaners

Purchase specialized retainer cleaners to pass along to your patients. Advise your patient to use the same toothbrush and toothpaste used on his teeth to brush his dental retainers. He also needs to purchase additional cleaners to eliminate plaque buildup, but you can first give him samples from your shelves. Remember that tablets made for retainers differ from those for dentures as they're patented to work with plastic linings that some retainers have and prevent yellow stains. Give away dental retainer cases for your patient to use when the retainer isn't being worn or is being cleaned.

I recommend: Purchase the RetainerFresh tablet, which allows patients to get clean dental retainers via a 5 to 10 minute soak in a glass of water, cleaning the retainer of any built-up particles. Retainer Brite is another product that cleans dental retainers, and their tablet works in 10 minutes in a glass of water. Either option is perfect to clean the retainer while enjoying a meal. DentaKit.com LLC offers snappy dental retainer cases to securely store the retainer.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If dental retainers aren't bent or broken, they may last for five to 10 years. But, retainers do wear out and should be checked periodically. This is necessary to keep teeth properly aligned.

The orthodontics field is full of jobs that require you to work with dental retainers; from the lab technicians that make the retainers to the orthodontic assistants that give out retainer information to the orthodontists themselves who decide what retainers are right for each patient. Give yourself an edge and brush up on some key terms if you decide to pursue this field.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Hawley retainer

A Hawley retainer is a type of retainer that a patient can be fitted with after brace removal. This type of retainer has an acrylic plate that is formed to fit the shape of the patient's palate and has metal wires that help keep the teeth aligned.

I recommend: Brace Place Orthodontics offers information on Hawley retainer usage and care.

Essix retainer

An Essix retainer is made of clear plastic that is molded to fit the patient's teeth. Is not as visible as other types of retainers.

I recommend: If you are interested in the fabrication process of Essix retainers, you can visit Essix.com to read up on the process and see pictures of steps.

Bonded retainer

A bonded retainer consists of a wire with plastic spacers attached to it that is placed on the back of the teeth. It is then secured to the teeth.

I recommend: The Journal of Orthodontics has an article that provides steps, with pictures, of applying a bonded retainer to the lower teeth.

Alginate

Before orthodontic work can be performed, a mold of the patient's teeth is taken. Alginate is the soft compound that is used to take the mold of the teeth.

I recommend: Head over to Dentsply International to see various types of alginate that they can provide.

Removable appliance

A removable appliance sounds like something you would use in a kitchen, but it is actually any orthodontic device that a patient can remove from their mouth.

I recommend: To read more on removable appliances, visit Batastini Orthodontics.

Retention phase

The retention phase is the time during which the patient wears a dental retainer. This phase comes after the active phase, which is when the patient is wearing braces.

I recommend: If you visit the Colgate-Palmolive Company, you can read more about the retention phase along with other information about braces and orthodontics in general.