Orthodontic treatments
Orthodontics OverviewPediatric dental care
Pediatric Dentistry OverviewWhy Elite
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61 Berdan Avenue, Wayne, NJ 07470
Mon 9-5 · Tue-Thu 9:30-5:30 · Fri 9-4 · select Sat 8:30-1:30
Before Your Visit
Guides and Reading
Book a visit
Choose the care you need, then call our Wayne office to find a time.
Book an Orthodontic Consultation Book a Pediatric Appointment Call 973-706-8339After braces or aligners
The half of treatment that keeps teeth where braces or aligners moved them.
5.0from 300+ Google reviewsWhy retainers matter
Teeth have a memory.
A retainer holds them where treatment put them while the bone and fibers around them settle, which takes far longer than most people expect.
Everyone who finishes orthodontic treatment. There is no exception to this.
Five steps
Scanned and fitted the day the braces come off.
The first stretch, as directed.
The long-term pattern.
We check the fit at your review visits.
Lost or broken retainers get replaced quickly, before anything moves.
Orthodontic specialists
Both are orthodontic specialists: dental school first, then a university residency spent only on moving teeth and correcting bites.
Comprehensive orthodontic treatment for teens and adults: braces, Invisalign and the retainers that keep a finished smile in place.
Braces, clear braces and Invisalign for teens and adults, and the Phase I evaluations that decide whether a child should start now or wait.
Your consultation
A scan, your options explained side by side, and the cost in writing, in one visit.
Related care
Not sure which one? The consultation is where we work that out together.
Explore OrthodonticsCost and coverage
The fee, your insurance benefit and the payment plan are explained at the consultation, before you start.
Yes. Orthodontic consultations at Elite are complimentary: the orthodontist examines the teeth and bite and explains the options.
Yes. Retainers and follow-up visits can qualify for pre-tax HSA or FSA funds, as braces and Invisalign do.
Many dental plans include an orthodontic benefit. We verify your benefits and file the claims on your behalf.
Yes. Interest-free in-house payment plans, CareCredit for longer terms (subject to credit approval), and HSA or FSA funds.
Seven common questions
Retainers are either removable or fixed. Both hold the teeth in their new positions once they have been straightened. A fixed retainer is a thin wire attached to the back of the upper or lower front teeth with a bonding glue similar to the one used for braces brackets. Your orthodontist will tell you how to care for your retainer and how long to wear it. Wearing it as directed is what stops the teeth moving back.
Teeth can keep shifting throughout life, with growth, with age and for other reasons. Wearing your retainer at night, as your orthodontist directs, keeps your teeth in the positions your treatment achieved.
It depends on the type of retainer and how well it is looked after. Metal retainers can last several years with good care, while clear retainers may need replacing every one to two years because of wear. Your orthodontist checks your retainer at your regular visits and tells you when it needs replacing.
Call us straight away. Teeth begin to move within days, and replacing a retainer quickly is far cheaper than repeating treatment.
Call us straight away, and do not wear a broken retainer: it can hurt your teeth or gums. Your orthodontist will tell you whether it can be repaired or needs replacing.
Yes, a little, especially if you have not worn it for a while. Tightness usually means your teeth are trying to move back, and wearing the retainer as directed eases it. If it feels very tight or loose, or it hurts, book a visit so we can check the fit.
Take a removable retainer out to eat. Food gets trapped under it, and chewing can damage it. Keep it in its case while you eat so it is not lost or broken.
