The restraining device is an indispensable device for the full success of an orthodontic therapy. It is used in the stabilization phase of orthodontics.
What good is a restraining device
The need for the stabilization phase following an orthodontic therapy arises from the fact that teeth and tissues 
they maintain a “memory” of their original position.
In addition to this, there is also to consider that if the maloccusion had been generated by bad habits in the position of the tongue or the temporomandibular apparatus, probably the muscles will tend to resume old habits, causing a relapse.
Avoiding the phenomenon of recurrence is the reason why the restraining device is used.
After the orthodontic treatment, in fact, the position of the teeth is not yet perfectly consolidated and it is therefore possible that the teeth, subjected to continuous muscular stimulation, can again become misaligned.
The restraining device “reminds” the teeth of their new positioning.
What is the containment phase
The two main ways in which the containment phase is dealt with are:
- extension of therapy with a fixed device;
- insertion of the restraining device.
Prolongation of therapy with a fixed device
The dentist could opt for an extension of active therapy to consolidate the results. In this case, the patient will have to carry the fixture for a longer period. This solution involves some inconvenience.
Orthodontic treatments can last up to several years, lengthening the time taken to remove the fixture is a blow to the patient. Prolonging therapy also means continuing to take care of the appliance with particular attention in all phases of oral hygiene.
Containment device
The alternative, certainly better where possible, is to create a transparent mobile device, the restraining device, to be worn every night. In this way the patient will be able to feel more free, he will certainly be less bound by therapy and will also be able to resume normal home hygiene practices.
In any case, during the stabilization phase of orthodontic therapy, monitoring of the restraint must be kept constant, precisely to avoid frustrating the previous treatment.
The duration of the containment phase will be more or less long depending on the specific clinical case, but it is a mandatory treatment for those who undergo orthodontics.
Without the restraining device the orthodontic result does not consolidate as it should and the risk is that of returning to the initial condition, because the malocclusion could reappear months or a few years later.
Orthodontics often involves long-term therapies, but establishing a relationship of trust with your dentist and undergoing constant controls is the only way to obtain results that last over time.
