Are Permanent Retainers Really Permanent?
While the common vernacular for a fixed retainer is ‘permanent’, retainers are not actually permanent. They are only referred to as such because they cannot be easily removed, unlike night guards. Most patients only have braces for a couple years, however, permanent retainers stay put for years, sometimes even decades. In fact, they have been known to last for upwards of 20 years with proper upkeep.