Ib tug ruaj khov retainer yog ib qho khoom siv kho hniav ruaj khov uas tsim los khaws cov hniav sib dhos tom qab kev txhuam hniav lossis kev kho kom haum. Tsim los ntawm cov xov hlau nyias nyias, ruaj khov -feem ntau stainless hlau lossis npib tsib xee-titanium- nws tau ruaj khov rau ntawm qhov chaw (sab hauv) ntawm cov hniav sab nrauv (feem ntau incisors thiab canines) siv cov nplaum hniav, ua rau nws ze li pom ntawm sab nraud.
Nws lub luag haujlwm tseem ceeb yog txhawm rau tiv thaiv lub ntuj nyiam ntawm cov hniav kom hloov mus rau lawv cov haujlwm qub, qhov tshwm sim tshwm sim los ntawm qhov seem seem hauv cov pob txha pob txha thiab qhov ncauj cov leeg nqaij. Tsis zoo li cov retainers uas tshem tau, uas tso siab rau cov neeg mob ua raws li cov neeg mob ua raws, cov tuav ruaj ruaj muab 24/7 tuav, ua rau lawv muaj txiaj ntsig tshwj xeeb rau cov tib neeg uas muaj kev pheej hmoo rov qab los, xws li cov hniav tsis zoo los yog keeb kwm ntawm kev hloov.
Cov txheej txheem kev tso kawm, ua los ntawm tus kws kho hniav tom qab tshem tawm cov hniav, yog qhov ceev heev (15-30 feeb) thiab muaj qhov tsis xis nyob tsawg, txawm tias qee tus neeg mob yuav hnov ntxhiab nplaig ib ntus. Kev saib xyuas yuav tsum tau ua tib zoo saib xyuas qhov ncauj: siv cov txhuam hniav mos, txhuam hniav, lossis cov xov paj los ntxuav ib ncig ntawm cov hlau, vim tias cov khoom noj khoom haus thiab cov quav hniav tuaj yeem sib sau ua ke, ua rau muaj kev pheej hmoo ntawm kab noj hniav, cov pos hniav, lossis ua pa tsis zoo.
Thaum cov khoom tuav ruaj ruaj yog tsim los ntev - siv sijhawm ntev (feem ntau 5-10 xyoo lossis ntau dua), lawv yuav xav tau kho lossis hloov pauv yog tias cov hlau tawg, xoob, lossis cov khoom sib txuas tsis ua haujlwm- cov teeb meem uas yuav tsum tau ceev cov hniav kom tiv thaiv cov hniav txav. Kev kuaj hniav tsis tu ncua yog qhov tseem ceeb los saib xyuas tus neeg mob tus mob, kom ntseeg tau tias nws tseem khaws tau cov txiaj ntsig ntawm kev kho hniav.