Marie A. Cornelis, Paolo M. Cattaneo
Orthodontic retention protocols diverge substantially from one country to another, and have vastly changed over time. To prevent relapse, orthodontists need failure-free retainers that stabilize teeth, without causing unwanted or detrimental side effects. Although the use of long-term retainers is widely accepted today, evidence-based protocols are still lacking. This article reviews some open questions based on the current evidence, in order to assist the clinician in his/her retention protocol selection.