Frequently Asked Questions

Your orthodontist's time is valuable — and expensive. Every retainer appointment uses 20-30 minutes of chair time, plus staff, plus overhead. That's why a single retainer replacement can cost $300-600 at the office.

We remove that cost from the equation. Your doctor provides your digital scan once, and our certified USA labs manufacture your retainer to their exact specifications. Same quality, no appointment needed, shipped directly to your door.

Your custom retainer is manufactured and shipped to your door in 3-5 business days. After you place your order, we verify your scan (typically within 1 business day), route it to the appropriate lab, and manufacturing begins immediately.

We stand behind every retainer with our 30-Day Fit Guarantee. If your retainer doesn't fit properly within 30 days of delivery, contact our support team and we'll send a free remake — no questions asked.

Every retainer is manufactured to your doctor's exact specifications, but we know that fit can sometimes vary. That's exactly why the guarantee exists.

Clear retainers are made from BPA-free thermoplastic material. Hawley retainers use a combination of orthodontic wire and dental-grade acrylic.

The exact specifications — including material brand, thickness, and trim lines — are determined by your orthodontist's preferences. Every doctor has their own specs, and our labs follow them precisely. That's why we don't list exact material details on the site — your retainer is built to your doctor's standard, not a one-size-fits-all formula.

The Protection Plan enrollment is a one-time fee, not a recurring subscription. Once you've enrolled, you have lifetime access to member pricing on replacement retainers. There's no monthly charge and nothing to cancel.

If you have questions about your enrollment or need help with your account, our support team is always happy to assist.

In most cases, no. If your orthodontist has already taken a digital intraoral scan, it's likely already on file. The scan takes about 5 minutes and most patients already have one from their treatment.

Your scan is stored securely on HIPAA-compliant servers, so it's always available when you need a replacement. If your doctor needs to take a new scan for any reason, it's a quick and painless process.

Absolutely. All digital scans are stored on HIPAA-compliant servers using AWS S3 with encryption at rest. Your personal information and dental records are handled with the same level of security you'd expect from your orthodontist's office.

We take patient privacy seriously — it's not just a legal requirement, it's the right way to operate.

Clear retainers are transparent, removable, and virtually invisible when worn. They're the most popular option and are made from BPA-free thermoplastic. We also offer a Phase 1 Clear version for patients in earlier orthodontic treatment phases.

Hawley retainers are the classic wire-and-acrylic design. They're the most adjustable and longest-lasting retainer type. The Phase 1 Hawley version is designed for patients in earlier orthodontic treatment phases.

Not sure which is right for you? Your orthodontist's specifications determine which type is best for your teeth — and our lab routing system ensures you get exactly what your doctor recommends.

Most orthodontists recommend replacing your retainer about once a year, though this varies depending on the type of retainer and how well you care for it. Clear retainers tend to wear faster than Hawley retainers due to the material differences.

Signs it's time for a replacement: visible cracks or cloudiness, a loose or tight fit, or difficulty snapping it in. If something feels off, don't wait — a retainer that doesn't fit properly isn't doing its job.

If it's been a while since you've worn a retainer, your teeth may have shifted. A retainer made from an old scan might not fit your current alignment.

We recommend visiting your orthodontist for a new scan to capture your teeth as they are now. Once they take a fresh scan, you can order through us at a fraction of what you'd pay for a retainer at the office. If your retainer doesn't fit, our 30-Day Fit Guarantee has you covered.

Select the orthodontist who provided your most recent digital scan. We use this to match your retainer to your doctor's exact specifications and route your order to the right lab.

If your orthodontist isn't listed, select "Other" and our team will work with you to get your scan on file and ensure your retainer is made correctly.

All retainers are manufactured by certified, USA-based dental labs. Each orthodontist's orders are routed to the lab that matches their specifications and preferences — this is handled automatically by our system.

The result is the same quality you'd get from your orthodontist's office, because it's made to the same specs by the same caliber of lab. The only difference is you didn't need an appointment to get it.