Vacuum-formed retainers: an overview.

The need for long-term retention following orthodontic treatment is now considered essential to prevent post-orthodontic treatment relapse. The vacuum-formed retainer (VFR) has gained popularity in recent times. This paper describes briefly the characteristics of VFRs and summarizes the evidence in relation to their effectiveness. Clinical Relevance: VFRs are now widely used after orthodontic treatment and it is important that clinicians adopt an evidenced-based approach to their use.