How will I know if my child's wire dental retainer was successful?

You will know if your child's wire dental retainer was successful if her teeth stay in the correct alignment. Some orthodontists tell patients to leave their wire dental retainers on for a few years, while some see no reason to have their patients ever take them out. Teeth can shift at any age, so if your child is able to keep her teeth clean and healthy with the wire retainer in place, your child may want to consider leaving the wire dental retainer in her mouth permanently.