Inside the Lab

From Impression to Retainer

Five steps that show how a retainer is made, from the first impression to the finished appliance.

This story is for understanding only. It is not a set of instructions for making, heating, or changing a retainer at home. Placeholders mark where original photographs and short videos will appear.

  1. Upper and lower dental impressions in pink material with purple trays, resting on a stainless steel surface

    1Step 1 of 5

    Dental impressions

    An impression records the exact shape of the teeth and gums. Every retainer starts from an accurate record of the mouth.

  2. Tan stone dental model with blue material applied along the tooth edges, with a dark tool in the foreground

    2Step 2 of 5

    Preparing dental models

    The impression is poured to create a physical model. The model is checked and prepared so the retainer can be formed accurately over it.

  3. Tan dental model with blue material along its edges sitting inside a clear round chamber of a pressure-forming machine

    3Step 3 of 5

    Forming the clear retainer

    A pressure-forming machine shapes heated thermoplastic material over a dental model to create the initial retainer form.

  4. Gloved hands holding a clear retainer and a rotary handpiece with a green polishing tip

    4Step 4 of 5

    Trimming and finishing

    The retainer is carefully trimmed and its edges are smoothed for a comfortable fit.

  5. Two finished clear retainers lying side by side on a white dental bib

    5Step 5 of 5

    The completed retainer

    The completed clear retainers are ready for the final fit and quality checks.

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