Retainer Cost

As previously discussed, retainers are an essential part of every orthodontic treatment. After braces are removed, retainers have to be delivered and worn by the patient for as long as instructed by the orthodontist. Retainers can be expensive to some extent and so it is also very important to take care of them as we previously discussed in detail. The cost of retainers can vary between each provider, type of the retainers and whether it is being repaired or re-made.

When you sign a contract to get started with your braces journey, you do want to pay attention and see if the retainers are included in your treatment cost or not. For example, at Elara Orthodontics, one pair of retainers (one upper and one lower retainer) is included in our treatment fee and so there will not be any surprising extra costs at the end of the treatment for our patients.
However, that is not always the case at other orthodontic offices as some have an additional fee for the retainers that are not included in the base treatment fees and need to be paid before you will be able to remove your braces in order to get your retainers.
In some clinics, all types of retainers can be chosen at the same price, however, for most of the orthodontic clinics, the cost of retainer can vary.

Generally, the cost for each retainer (either upper or retainer) is anywhere between $100-$500.
That means a pair of retainers that is essential after removal of braces can be approximately anywhere between $200-$1000, with Vivera and fixed retainers be more expensive than Hawley retainers or clear retainers.

Normally, Hawley retainers are made in dental labs and so they are more expensive as there is a technician cost involved. Also, Hawley retainers are made from wires and acrylic that are slightly more costly than the plastic used for clear retainers. On the other hand, clear or essix retainers are mostly made in-house by the dental assistants or in-house techs who are trained to fabricate essix retainers.

Bonding fixed retainers to teeth is technique sensitive and quite delicate, so that can make them on the higher range of the spectrum as far as the cost.

Vivera retainers as discussed in the “types of retainers” section can be the most expensive type of retainers, mainly because these retainers come in a pack of 4 sets of retainers and are fabricated by the Invisalign company.

Depending on your dental insurance and your plan, your retainers might be covered by your insurance partially or fully. Your orthodontist office will be able to verify your insurance coverage and provide you with more details. Nevertheless, even if your dental insurance covers your first set of retainers to some extent, it usually does not cover the cost of replacement or repair of retainers. It’s always a good idea to confirm your coverage with your dental insurance company or your orthodontist office.

What was discussed previously as for the cost of retainers can be different from when a retainer is broken or needs to be replaced. One of the advantages of Hawley retainers over clear retainers is that they can be repaired, and they tend to last longer as they are sturdier. In other words, if the acrylic part of the Hawley retainer is broken or chipped and as long as the retainer is not distorted, it can be just repaired. The cost of repairing retainers can be as low as half of the cost of replacing the retainer. Repairing a Hawley retainer can be about $75-$250. Unfortunately, clear retainers are not repairable and if they are damaged or broken they have to be replaced with completely new retainers.

Fixed retainers can also be repaired to some extent. If the permanent retainer detaches from a tooth or some teeth, the orthodontist might be able to save the main wire and just re-cement the retainer immediately. Repairing of fixed retainers in this situation is normally based on how many teeth need to be repaired. The cost can be anywhere between $30-$100 per repaired tooth. If the main wire of a permanent retainer is distorted and not salvageable then your orthodontist might remove the fixed retainer fully and replace it with a new one. In that case you will be charged for a brand-new fixed retainer which can be around $200-$500.

The reality is not everyone is a candidate to receive fixed retainers, and some patients may reject the idea of having permanent retainer despite the recommendation of their orthodontist. Research has showed that one of the most common reasons for relapse or shifting of teeth after braces are removed, is due to a lack of compliance when it comes to wearing removable retainers. If the retainers are not worn for a period of time, it is very challenging for your orthodontist to adjust them to fit your teeth properly. Also due to the cost of replacing retainers, some patients do not report to their orthodontists if they lose or break their retainers. These are all common mistakes that we have seen through out our career as orthodontists. To make the retainer journey easier we came up with a special retainer insurance package.

At Elara Orthodontics, we offer a special package called “5-Yr retainer assurance”. By purchasing this package, you are guaranteed to receive as many retainers as you need to for 5 years. In other words, if you lose your retainer, break it or your dog accidentally chews your retainer, we will replace it with no questions asked and no extra charge.

This assurance policy will help our patients have peace of mind that regardless of the cost of replacement or repair for their retainers, they can receive the treatment they deserve and maintain their beautiful smile.

When you are visiting our office and start your braces treatment with us, please make sure to ask about the details of this package.