Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026
Measuring Maxillary Posterior Tooth Movement: A Model Assessment using Palatal and Dental Superimposition
Published on: February 23, 2024
Which way forward? Fixed or removable lower retainers
Nikki Atack1, Nigel Harradine, Jonathan R Sandy
1Bristol Dental Hospital, Bristol, UK. Nikki.Atack@bristol.ac.uk
Objective:
To determine whether lower lingual, canine to canine, bonded multistrand retainers prevent relapse of lower labial segment alignment following fixed appliance therapy and to compare this with lower Hawley-type removable retainers.
Materials And Methods:
Two groups of 29 patients were identified. Group 1 had bonded lower canine to canine multistrand retainers placed following debonding, whereas Group 2 had lower Hawley-type retainers (with acrylic labial to the incisors) fitted following debonding. Study models were taken of all patients at debonding (T(1)) and at least 1 year post debonding (T(2)). Changes in Little's index over the study period were recorded using a reflex microscope.
Results:
Statistically significant changes in Little's index occurred in the lower labial segment of both study groups (P = .001) over the observation period. There was no statistically significant difference in the amount of change in Little's index between the bonded and removable retainer groups (P = .13). Bonded retainers tended to be placed in older patients (P = .02).
Conclusions:
Relapse can occur in the lower labial segment with both fixed and removable retainers. The amount of relapse seen with both types of retainer is not statistically significantly different.
