Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic bracesLittlewood, Simon J.; Millett, Declan T.; Doubleday, Bridget; Bearn, David R.; Worthington, Helen V.

There is currently insufficient evidence on which to base the clinical practice of orthodontic retention.

Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic braces.

Retention procedures for stabilising tooth position after treatment with orthodontic braces.

Background:Retention is the phase of orthodontic treatment that attempts to keep teeth in the corrected positions after treatment with orthodontic (dental) braces. Without a phase of retention there is a tendency for the teeth to return to their initial position (relapse). To prevent relapse almost every patient who has orthodontic treatment will require some type of retention. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of different retention strategies used to stabilize tooth position after orthodontic braces. Search strategy: The Cochrane Oral Health Group's (OHG) Trials Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched. Handsearching of orthodontic journals was undertaken in keeping with the Cochrane OHG search programme. No language restrictions were applied. Authors of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified and contacted to identify unpublished trials. Most recent search: May 2005. Selection criteria: RCTs on children and adults, who have had retainers fitted or adjunctive procedures undertaken, following orthodontic treatment with braces to prevent relapse. The outcomes were: how well the teeth were stabilized, survival of retainers, adverse effects on oral health and quality of life. Data collection and analysis: Screening of eligible studies, assessment of the methodological quality of the trials and data extraction were conducted in duplicate