Retainers in Anerley at a Glance
| Nearest practice listing retainers | London Dental Arts Forest Hill, Forest Hill — 2 miles; 13 within 10 miles |
|---|---|
| Nearest practice with emergency care | Brixton Smiles Dental Clinic, Brixton — 4.2 miles |
| Nearest practice open evenings or weekends | London Dental Arts Forest Hill, Forest Hill — 2 miles; 10 within 10 miles |
| Residents under 16 | 16.1% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 5.5% of 1,868 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Practices on our register | 36 within 5 miles, 145 within 10, 343 within 20 |
| Area type (ONS) | Urban: Nearer to a major town or city |
| Deprivation | More deprived than most of England |
| Households without a car | 49.5% in the surrounding census area (Census 2021) |
| Residents per square kilometre | 5,974 in the surrounding census area (Census 2021) |
Sources: Census 2021 (NOMIS), DfE Get Information About Schools, ONS geography, UK NHS dental charge schedules and our orthodontic practice register. Distances are straight-line.
Practices near Anerley listing retainers
On our practice register: 36 practices within 5 miles of Anerley, 145 practices within 10 and 343 practices within 20. The closest is Beckenham Dental Centre, 1.6 miles east. The nearest listing retainers is London Dental Arts Forest Hill, 2.0 miles north.
| Practice | Distance | Retainers | Emergency care | Evenings or weekends | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Dental Arts Forest HillForest Hill | 2.0 miles north | ✓ | – | ✓ | 4.9 (462 reviews) |
| Feel Good Dental - CroydonCroydon | 2.1 miles south | ✓ | – | ✓ | 5.0 (401 reviews) |
| Dulwich Orthodontic CentrePeckham | 2.2 miles north-west | ✓ | – | – | 3.8 (191 reviews) |
| Thornton Dental and Implant CentreThornton Heath | 2.3 miles south-west | ✓ | – | ✓ | 4.6 (204 reviews) |
| Smile StraightCatford | 2.4 miles north-east | ✓ | – | – | 4.9 (64 reviews) |
| Orchard OrthodonticsLondon | 2.5 miles south-west | ✓ | – | ✓ | 4.8 (524 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Anerley with practices listing retainers
The closest town with practices listing retainers is Forest Hill, 2.0 miles north; the next are Croydon (2.1 miles south) and Peckham (2.2 miles north-west).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Hill | 1 | 2.0 miles north |
| Croydon | 2 | 2.1 miles south |
| Peckham | 1 | 2.2 miles north-west |
| Thornton Heath | 1 | 2.3 miles south-west |
| Catford | 1 | 2.4 miles north-east |
| London | 1 | 2.5 miles south-west |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of Anerley
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Feel Good Dental - Croydon (5.0 from 401 reviews), 2.1 miles south.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Feel Good Dental - CroydonCroydon | 5.0 (401 reviews) | 2.1 miles south |
| One Dental - CamberwellBrixton | 5.0 (287 reviews) | 4.4 miles north |
| Orchard Orthodontics LONDONBrixton Hill | 4.9 (1,279 reviews) | 4.2 miles north-west |
| London Dental Arts Forest HillForest Hill | 4.9 (462 reviews) | 2.0 miles north |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
Retainers near Anerley
| What you may need | Look for | Nearest listing it | Next nearest | Within 20 miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retainers | retainers | London Dental Arts Forest Hill (2 miles) | Feel Good Dental - Croydon (2.1 miles); Dulwich Orthodontic Centre (2.2 miles) | 13 |
| Urgent repairs | emergency care | Brixton Smiles Dental Clinic (4.2 miles) | none other | 1 |
| Visits outside working hours | evening or weekend opening | London Dental Arts Forest Hill (2 miles) | Feel Good Dental - Croydon (2.1 miles); Thornton Dental and Implant Centre (2.3 miles) | 10 |
| A fresh scan for a new retainer | digital scanning | London Dental Arts Forest Hill (2 miles) | Feel Good Dental - Croydon (2.1 miles); Thornton Dental and Implant Centre (2.3 miles) | 13 |
Built from what each practice's own published information mentions, so a missing entry means not mentioned, which does not mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Retention is a lifelong commitment, not a short-term measure many patients expect. Without them, teeth start drifting back towards their old positions within weeks of finishing. Practices across Anerley usually supply both a fixed wire and a removable tray for belt-and-braces protection.
Retainer Services in Anerley
Anerley has no orthodontic practice of its own, but a dentist — Kent House Dental Clinic — is under a mile away, and a general dentist is who most people ask for an orthodontic referral in the first place. ONS classifies Anerley as urban: Nearer to a major town or city. NHS dental commissioning in Anerley falls under NHS South East London Integrated Care Board. Census figures show 16.1% of the local population is under 16. In the census neighbourhood around Anerley, 5.5% of the 1,868 residents are aged 10 to 15, below the 6.8% average across Greater London, the age band in which most NHS orthodontic treatment begins. With 36 orthodontic practices within five miles, Anerley is better served than 97% of towns in England. Regionally, 20% of 5-year-olds in this ICB have experience of visible dental decay (OHID data). Secondary-age pupils near Anerley attend schools such as Harris City Academy Crystal Palace (0.7 miles) and Harris Girls Academy Bromley (0.9 miles). 27 secondary schools are within three miles. There are 117 schools and 57,500 pupils in Anerley's Local Authority area, per DfE data. By national deprivation ranking, Anerley sits among the more deprived areas of England. Complex cases can be referred to a hospital orthodontic department; the nearest university dental hospital to Anerley is Guy's Hospital Dental Institute in London, about 6 miles away. See local practice availability in Anerley → They typically offer retainer fitting, replacement, and emergency repair appointments.
Expect private replacement Essix retainers (per arch) costs in Anerley to fall roughly between £80 and £150. Most practices can fabricate a replacement from a new scan or impression within a few working days. If you have moved away from your original treating practice, any orthodontic or dental practice in Anerley can usually provide replacement retainers.
Types of Retainer Available in Anerley
Fixed (bonded) retainers are thin wires bonded behind the front teeth — usually the lower six, sometimes the upper too. They're permanent, invisible from the front, and need no daily effort, though they require careful cleaning with floss threaders to keep the gum healthy.
Essix retainers are the transparent tray-style retainer worn over the teeth — nearly invisible and comfortable, though the plastic warps if exposed to heat and usually lasts one to three years.
Hawley retainers use an acrylic plate with a wire across the front teeth. Sturdier and repairable, they last far longer than clear trays at the cost of being more noticeable.
Many orthodontists in Anerley now provide both a fixed wire for continuous protection and a removable Essix tray for overnight use, combining the strengths of each.
How Long Is Retention?
The current standard is to keep wearing removable retainers indefinitely, tapering from full-time to nights only. Abandoning them after a couple of years — once routine advice — is now recognised as a leading cause of relapse.
Fixed bonded retainers stay in place permanently unless they break, needing no daily decision — which makes them the most reliable long-term method.
Should your retainer feel tight after time away from it, that's early drift; see your orthodontist rather than forcing it back on. Acting quickly avoids a bigger, costlier correction later.
Life After Braces in Anerley
Post-treatment aftercare is arguably the most important phase of orthodontic treatment in Anerley. Many patients are surprised how much goes into keeping teeth exactly where treatment left them. Understanding the aftercare process helps you make the most of your investment.
Why Retention Never Really Ends in Anerley
Teeth stay under biological pressure to shift for life, which is why retention isn't a phase you graduate from. The old advice — stop after two years — is out of date; full-time wear for the first 3-6 months, then nights only indefinitely, is what actually holds the result.
Frequently Asked Questions — Retainers in Anerley
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Anerley?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Anerley is Beckenham Dental Centre, about 1.6 miles to the east. The next closest are London Dental Arts Forest Hill (2.0 miles) and Feel Good Dental - Croydon (2.1 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Anerley?
Our register has 36 practices within 5 miles of Anerley, 145 practices within 10 miles and 343 practices within 20 miles.
Where can I get a retainer near Anerley?
The nearest practice to Anerley that lists retainers is London Dental Arts Forest Hill, about 2.0 miles to the north. Others nearby include Feel Good Dental - Croydon (2.1 miles) and Dulwich Orthodontic Centre (2.2 miles).
How deprived is Anerley compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, Anerley is more deprived than most of England. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
How's children's dental health in Anerley's area?
Regionally, 20% of 5-year-olds in this ICB have experience of visible dental decay, per OHID data.
What NHS area is Anerley in for dental services?
NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS South East London Integrated Care Board.
How many schools are in Anerley's area?
Anerley's Local Authority has 117 schools educating 57,500 pupils (DfE data).
Can I whiten my teeth while wearing retainers?
Clear Essix retainers can double as whitening trays with dentist-supplied gel, and removable retainers are simply taken out during in-chair whitening. A fixed bonded wire doesn't prevent whitening of the front teeth, though the gel won't reach directly behind it. Your dentist can advise the best approach.
Last updated: October 2026, compiled by the Virtual Consultant Online editorial team from our practice register and public data. Information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice; it is not reviewed by a clinician. Sources: NHS, General Dental Council. How we compile our information.
Retainers Across Greater London
Explore retainers information for other towns and cities in Greater London — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: