Orthodontic Assistant Practice Exam

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Prepare for the Orthodontic Assistant Exam. Study with flashcards, multiple-choice questions, and detailed explanations. Get ready for your exam success!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

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What is the role of a retainer following orthodontic treatment?

To actively move teeth into place
To hold teeth in their corrected position
To provide additional bonding strength
To speed up tooth eruption

The correct answer is: To hold teeth in their corrected position

A retainer plays a crucial role in maintaining the alignment of teeth after orthodontic treatment. Once the braces are removed, teeth can be prone to shifting back to their original positions due to the elasticity of the surrounding periodontal tissues. The primary function of a retainer is to hold teeth in their corrected position, ensuring stability and preventing relapse. By wearing a retainer as prescribed, patients help to solidify the adjustments made during orthodontic treatment. This retention period is vital for allowing the bones and gums time to adapt to the new positioning of the teeth. While other options refer to processes or functions that are not applicable to retainers—such as actively moving teeth or influencing tooth eruption—retainers are specifically designed for stabilization post-treatment.