Clinical experience with direct-bonded orthodontic retainers.

The experience obtained in clinical evaluation of forty-three direct-bonded mandibular canine-to-canine retainers after a minimum observation period of 1 year (range, 1 to 2.5 years) is summarized. Results indicate that the bonded retainer has all the advantages of a fixed soldered retainer, in addition to being invisible. Patient acceptance was excellent, and the failure rate in terms of loose retainers was low. Also, for a number of other retention problems, direct bonding with different types of lingual wire seems to open up a range of promising new possibilities.