How will getting a wire dental retainer effect how my child's teeth look?

Unlike braces, which were probably visible on the front of your child’s teeth, a wire dental retainer is usually glued behind the teeth so you can’t see it. The wire dental retainer will keep your child’s teeth in place after the braces do the hard work of moving the teeth into the correct alignment. The retainer is used in the “retention” phase of treatment, much like a retaining wall holds back the earth behind it. Teeth are forced to move to a new position during the “active” phase of treatment (braces), and may shift back to the prior, incorrect position without a retainer to keep them in place. The retainer gives your child the advantage of maintaining his new teeth positioning without any metal showing.