1. Start by micro-etching the back of U 1's and upper 3's (or whatever teeth are going to be bonded to the retainer) to remove any plaque or film so the retainers can be bonded to a clean surface. Once you have micro etched, have the patient go rinse out at the brushing station WITH WATER ONLY!

2. Using a piece of articulating paper, check the patients occlusion. Since there is pontic's already bonded, there is only once place the retainer will fit, but knowing where the patient's bite is will help you place the glue. You want to make sure they are hitting the retainer as little as possible, especially where the pontic's are because they can break off.

3. Before prepping, place a large cotton roll in the upper lip to help isolate as much as possible. To prep the teeth, use the air syringe to dry each tooth for 5 seconds. Then with a microbrush, take a light layer of etch and gently dab the etch on the backside of each tooth. Once the etch has sat on each tooth for 30 seconds you are going to continue to rinse the etch. Take the large suction in your left hand, and the water syringe in your right, starting with the first tooth you etched (in the same order) rinse each tooth for 5 seconds. You want to make sure that not a drop of etch is left because that can contaminate the bonding surface. After the etch has been rinsed, dry each tooth again for 5 seconds each tooth. Once you are confident that the tooth is frosty and has not been contaminated, use a clean microbrush dipped in ortho solo and apply a lightly layer to each tooth and continue to dry each tooth one last time for 5 seconds. Make sure the ortho solo is completely dry!!

4. Place one piece of floss in between the two front teeth, or wherever possible to help hold the retainer in place. Remember this is a lab made perm so it was made to fit perfectly in one exact spot!

5. After teeth are prepped, start on the either cuspid and apply a small amount of adhesive (use a micro brush that is slightly wet with ortho solo to successfully flow the adhesive onto the tooth). When smoothing the adhesive over the wire, make sure you keep the adhesive away from the gum tissue and the incisal edge. Make sure adhesive is flat and not a mound or bubble. Continue this same process to the upper ones, and then to the other cuspid (These same steps apply to any retainer with pontic's, it might just be different teeth).

*****Once the permanent retainer is bonded, check bite to make sure pt is not hitting on it anywhere!!!******* The doctor can adjust the bite to help if needed.

Make sure to educate the patient about the pontic's. The pontic's are NOT PERMANENT, and are only a temporary solution! They still cannot bite into things, or put a large amount of pressure on the pontic's because they will break the pontic's off of the retainer. If this happens, the whole retainer will have to be removed and replaced. Taking care of the retainer is now their responsibility :)