Retainers in Craigmillar at a Glance
| Nearest practice listing retainers | None within 30 miles on our register |
|---|---|
| Nearest practice with emergency care | None within 30 miles on our register |
| Nearest practice open evenings or weekends | Holyrood Dental Care, Edinburgh — 2 miles |
| Practices on our register | 111 within 5 miles, 144 within 10, 239 within 20 |
| Area type (ONS) | Large Urban Areas |
| Deprivation | More deprived than most of Scotland |
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 Craigmillar listing retainers
On our practice register: 111 practices within 5 miles of Craigmillar, 144 practices within 10 and 239 practices within 20. The closest is CRAIGMILLAR DENTAL CENTRE in Danderhall, 0.2 miles north-west. Few practices near here list retainers in their published information, so this lists the nearest of any kind.
| Practice | Distance | Retainers | Emergency care | Evenings or weekends | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRAIGMILLAR DENTAL CENTREDanderhall | 0.2 miles north-west | – | – | – | – |
| 2 SOUTHFIELD LOANDanderhall | 1.1 miles north-east | – | – | – | – |
| PRESTONFIELD BUPA DENTAL PRACTICEEdinburgh | 1.1 miles west | – | – | – | – |
| BARBOUR DENTAL PRACTICEEdinburgh | 1.2 miles west | – | – | – | – |
| 1 LIBERTON BRAEDanderhall | 1.3 miles south-west | – | – | – | – |
| DUDDINGSTON PARK IMPLANT & DENTAL CLINICDanderhall | 1.3 miles north-east | – | – | – | – |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Craigmillar with orthodontic practices
The closest town with orthodontic practices is Danderhall, 0.2 miles north-west; the next are Edinburgh (1.1 miles west) and Musselburgh (1.6 miles north-east).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Danderhall | 7 | 0.2 miles north-west |
| Edinburgh | 18 | 1.1 miles west |
| Musselburgh | 4 | 1.6 miles north-east |
| Loanhead | 1 | 2.0 miles south |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Retainers near Craigmillar
| What you may need | Look for | Nearest listing it | Next nearest | Within 20 miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retainers | retainers | not mentioned nearby | none other | 0 |
| Urgent repairs | emergency care | not mentioned nearby | none other | 0 |
| Visits outside working hours | evening or weekend opening | Holyrood Dental Care, Edinburgh (2 miles) | none other | 1 |
| A fresh scan for a new retainer | digital scanning | not mentioned nearby | none other | 0 |
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.
The result you paid for is only as durable as your commitment to retainers. During the months of remodelling, retainers hold the teeth precisely where treatment left them. Orthodontists in Craigmillar typically fit them the same day braces come off.
Types of Retainer Available in Craigmillar
Fixed (bonded) retainers sit permanently behind the front teeth as a discreet bonded wire, holding the result with zero patient effort. The trade-off is cleaning: floss threaders or interdental brushes are needed to keep the area healthy.
Essix retainers look just like a clear aligner and are the most common removable choice after aligner treatment. Discreet and easy, but treat them gently with heat and expect a replacement every couple of years.
Hawley retainers are the classic removable retainer: robust, adjustable, and long-lived, with the only real downside being that the front wire is visible when in.
Many orthodontists in Craigmillar now provide both a fixed wire for continuous protection and a removable Essix tray for overnight use, combining the strengths of each.
Looking After Retainers in Craigmillar
Removable Essix retainers typically last one to three years before wear, warping or cracking calls for replacement, at roughly £80–£150 per arch. Hawley retainers are tougher and can last five to ten years; fixed wires last for years but can debond from a single tooth.
A fixed wire can debond without you noticing, so regular check-ups in Craigmillar matter — an unrepaired wire lets a tooth move independently and misalignment can appear within weeks.
Retainer Services in Craigmillar
What's available in Craigmillar depends on the practice, so it's worth checking directly what each one offers. Craigmillar — large Urban Areas by ONS classification — is covered by NHS Lothian for NHS dentistry. Craigmillar has 110 orthodontic practices within five miles, more than 96% of towns in Scotland. By national deprivation ranking, Craigmillar sits among the more deprived areas of Scotland. For hospital-based orthodontic care, Craigmillar is about 37 miles from Dundee Dental Hospital in Dundee. See local practice availability in Craigmillar → They typically offer retainer fitting, replacement, and emergency repair appointments.
Expect private replacement Essix retainers (per arch) costs in Craigmillar 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 Craigmillar can usually provide replacement retainers.
Orthodontic Aftercare in Craigmillar
When braces come off or aligner treatment completes in Craigmillar, protecting the result begins. The de-bond appointment, retainer fitting, whitening timing and retention habits all decide whether your result lasts. Getting aftercare right is what protects everything you've paid for.
Teeth Whitening After Braces in Craigmillar
It's a common instinct to want whitening straight after de-bonding, but enamel is briefly more porous right after brackets come off and needs about 4 weeks to remineralise first. Professional whitening once that window has passed tends to give excellent results on newly straightened teeth.
Frequently Asked Questions — Retainers in Craigmillar
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Craigmillar?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Craigmillar is CRAIGMILLAR DENTAL CENTRE in Danderhall, about 0.2 miles to the north-west. The next closest are 2 SOUTHFIELD LOAN (1.1 miles) and PRESTONFIELD BUPA DENTAL PRACTICE (1.1 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Craigmillar?
Our register has 111 practices within 5 miles of Craigmillar, 144 practices within 10 miles and 239 practices within 20 miles.
Where can I get a retainer near Craigmillar?
None of the practices within 30 miles lists retainers in its published information. Most orthodontic practices supply them, so ask the nearest ones directly.
Which NHS body covers Craigmillar for dental care?
NHS dental commissioning in Craigmillar falls under NHS Lothian.
What kind of area is Craigmillar?
ONS classifies Craigmillar as large Urban Areas.
How deprived is Craigmillar compared with the rest of Scotland?
By the national deprivation index, Craigmillar is more deprived than most of Scotland. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
What towns are near Craigmillar?
Nearby towns include Moredun, Craigentinny, Portobello.
Can I whiten my teeth while wearing retainers?
Yes — clear Essix retainers can even double as whitening trays with the right gel, and removable ones simply come out for in-chair whitening. A fixed wire doesn't block whitening the front teeth either, though gel won't reach directly behind it.
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 City of Edinburgh
Explore retainers information for other towns and cities in City of Edinburgh — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: