Giving Your Patients Self-Confidence with the Essix Retainer

There are a couple of uses for the “Essix” retainer. The Essix Retainer is a popular retainer for the extremely appearance-conscious patient and is most commonly used in orthodontic treatment as a final retainer to prevent teeth from shifting. 

When you have patient’s that won’t leave your dental office with missing teeth, another use for an essix retainer is to esthetically hold the place for the missing teeth that will eventually be replaced with dental implant supported crowns. This is especially effective during the healing process when you don’t want the teeth shifting. 

The picture above is an example of this type of retainer. The plastic extensions hug around the existing upper teeth and suspend the acrylic temporary teeth. 

The essix retainer is fabricated by thermo-forming a thin sheet of Essix material over the entire arch. This retainer is made of a tough, stain and abrasive-resistant clear acrylic that has the light-reflecting properties to make teeth appear brilliant when the retainer is in place. The appliance covers the buccal, labial, and lingual surfaces and extends onto the gingival tissue.