Fixed Retainers
A fixed retainer is a thin wire bonded permanently to the back of the teeth after orthodontic treatment. It holds the teeth in their corrected position without any effort on your part — but requires good daily cleaning to keep the surrounding teeth and gums healthy.
What Is a Fixed Retainer?
A fixed retainer (also called a bonded retainer or lingual wire) is a thin, smooth wire that is bonded to the inner (tongue-facing) surface of the front teeth using dental adhesive. It is typically fitted to the upper teeth, lower teeth, or both after braces or clear aligners are completed.
Unlike removable retainers, fixed retainers cannot be taken out — they work around the clock and do not rely on the patient remembering to wear them.
Fixed vs Removable Retainers
Fixed Retainer
Permanent wire bonded to the teeth — cannot be removed
No compliance required — works 24/7
Invisible from outside
Requires careful cleaning with floss threaders
Can break if a hard food is bitten into
Particularly effective for lower front teeth (highest relapse risk)
How to Clean Around a Fixed Retainer
The biggest practical challenge with fixed retainers is keeping the teeth and gums clean around the wire. Standard flossing is not possible without threading the floss under the wire, so you will need some additional tools.
Interdental Brushes
Small bottle-brush shaped interdental brushes slide between the wire and the teeth, clearing plaque from the gumline. These are the most commonly recommended tool for daily cleaning around a fixed retainer.
Floss Threaders
A floss threader allows you to pass regular floss under the wire so you can floss between each tooth individually. Superfloss — which has a stiff end, spongy section, and regular floss — combines these steps in one.
Water Flosser
A water flosser (oral irrigator) jets a stream of water between the teeth and along the gumline. It is an effective supplement to brushing around fixed retainers and can be easier to use daily than floss threaders.
What Happens If a Fixed Retainer Breaks?
Fixed retainers can break if a bond comes loose or the wire is bent by biting into something hard. A partially detached retainer is important to address promptly — if part of the wire is no longer bonded, those teeth are at risk of relapse.
Contact your orthodontist or dentist as soon as possible if you notice a loose bond or a break. Avoid biting hard foods while waiting for a repair. A removable retainer worn over the top can help hold the teeth in position temporarily.
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