Retainers in Slade at a Glance
| Nearest practice listing retainers | Repton Dental Studio, Ashford — 8 miles; 5 within 10 miles |
|---|---|
| Nearest practice with emergency care | None within 30 miles on our register |
| Nearest practice open evenings or weekends | Ashford Dental Care, Ashford — 8.7 miles; 7 within 10 miles |
| Residents under 16 | 14.7% (Census 2021) |
| Aged 10 to 15 locally | 6.2% of 2,676 residents, the main age band for NHS orthodontic treatment |
| Practices on our register | 0 within 5 miles, 14 within 10, 60 within 20 |
| Area type (ONS) | Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city |
| Deprivation | More deprived than most of England |
| Households without a car | 7.4% in the surrounding census area (Census 2021) |
| Residents per square kilometre | 41 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 Slade listing retainers
On our practice register: None within 5 miles of Slade; 14 practices within 10 and 60 practices within 20. The closest is Bespoke Orthodontics in Sittingbourne, 6.4 miles north. The nearest listing retainers is Repton Dental Studio, 8.0 miles south-east.
| Practice | Distance | Retainers | Emergency care | Evenings or weekends | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repton Dental StudioAshford | 8.0 miles south-east | ✓ | – | – | 4.8 (35 reviews) |
| Ashford Dental CareAshford | 8.7 miles south-east | ✓ | – | ✓ | 4.8 (168 reviews) |
| Aligndent Ashford (Formerly The Orthodontic Practice)Ashford | 8.7 miles south-east | ✓ | – | ✓ | 4.7 (182 reviews) |
| Romney House Dental PracticeAshford | 9.6 miles south-east | ✓ | – | ✓ | 4.9 (53 reviews) |
| Orchard Dental PracticeMaidstone | 10.0 miles west | ✓ | – | ✓ | 4.6 (65 reviews) |
| Gabriels Hill Dental MaidstoneKent | 10.7 miles west | ✓ | – | – | 4.8 (234 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to Slade with practices listing retainers
The closest town with practices listing retainers is Ashford, 8.0 miles south-east; the next are Maidstone (10.0 miles west) and Kent (10.7 miles west).
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of Slade
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is St. Michael's Dental Care in Kent (4.9 from 233 reviews), 11.5 miles west.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| St. Michael's Dental CareKent | 4.9 (233 reviews) | 11.5 miles west |
| Romney House Dental PracticeAshford | 4.9 (53 reviews) | 9.6 miles south-east |
| Gabriels Hill Dental MaidstoneKent | 4.8 (234 reviews) | 10.7 miles west |
| Ashford Dental CareAshford | 4.8 (168 reviews) | 8.7 miles south-east |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
Retainers near Slade
| What you may need | Look for | Nearest listing it | Next nearest | Within 20 miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retainers | retainers | Repton Dental Studio, Ashford (8 miles) | Ashford Dental Care (8.7 miles); Aligndent Ashford (Formerly The Orthodontic Practice) (8.7 miles) | 7 |
| Urgent repairs | emergency care | not mentioned nearby | none other | 0 |
| Visits outside working hours | evening or weekend opening | Ashford Dental Care (8.7 miles) | Aligndent Ashford (Formerly The Orthodontic Practice) (8.7 miles); Kent Invisalign Centre (8.9 miles) | 9 |
| A fresh scan for a new retainer | digital scanning | Repton Dental Studio, Ashford (8 miles) | Ashford Dental Care (8.7 miles); Aligndent Ashford (Formerly The Orthodontic Practice) (8.7 miles) | 5 |
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.
After braces or aligners, the bone and fibres around each tooth need time to settle. Without them, teeth start drifting back towards their old positions within weeks of finishing. Any orthodontic practice in Slade can fit, replace or repair them if you need it.
Looking After Retainers in Slade
Expect to replace an Essix retainer every couple of years; Hawley plates last far longer, and bonded wires longest of all. The one thing to watch with a fixed retainer is a wire quietly debonding from a tooth.
Treat a lost or broken retainer as time-sensitive. Any orthodontic practice in Slade can help, and catching a problem early is always far cheaper than dealing with relapse later.
Retainer Services in Slade
How quickly you can be seen, and what's on offer, varies between the practices serving Slade. Slade's ONS geography type is smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city. NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board. Census data puts 14.7% of Slade's population at under 16. Most NHS orthodontic treatment begins between ages 10 and 15, and that band makes up 6.2% of the 2,676 residents in Slade's census neighbourhood, below the 7.3% average across Kent. People in Slade usually travel further for an orthodontist: the nearest on our register is about 6 miles away. Families in Slade are served by secondary schools including The Lenham School (3.0 miles) and The Sittingbourne School (5.1 miles). National deprivation data ranks Slade among England's more deprived areas. For hospital-based orthodontic care, Slade is about 40 miles from Royal London Dental Hospital in London. See local practice availability in Slade → They typically offer retainer fitting, replacement, and emergency repair appointments.
As a guide, private replacement Essix retainers (per arch) in Slade usually ranges from £80 to £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 Slade can usually provide replacement retainers.
Retainer Options in Slade
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 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 are the traditional acrylic-plate-and-wire design. They're more durable than Essix trays, adjustable if minor movement occurs, and can last many years — but they're more visible when worn.
Many orthodontists in Slade now provide both a fixed wire for continuous protection and a removable Essix tray for overnight use, combining the strengths of each.
Orthodontic Aftercare in Slade
Finishing active treatment is the start of retention, not the finish line. 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.
Aftercare Services in Slade
Orthodontic practices in and around Slade vary in the treatments and appointment types they offer. By ONS classification, Slade falls under smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city. NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board. Census figures show 14.7% of the local population is under 16. Most NHS orthodontic treatment begins between ages 10 and 15, and that band makes up 6.2% of the 2,676 residents in Slade's census neighbourhood, below the 7.3% average across Kent. No orthodontic practice on our register is within five miles of Slade; the nearest is about 6 miles away. The closest secondary schools to Slade are The Lenham School (3.0 miles) and The Sittingbourne School (5.1 miles). National deprivation data ranks Slade among England's more deprived areas. The nearest university dental hospital to Slade is Royal London Dental Hospital, London, about 40 miles away, where hospital orthodontic referrals are seen. They typically offer post-treatment services including retainer fitting, replacement, and professional whitening.
Frequently Asked Questions — Retainers in Slade
Where is the nearest orthodontist to Slade?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to Slade is Bespoke Orthodontics in Sittingbourne, about 6.4 miles to the north. The next closest are Repton Dental Studio (8.0 miles) and Ashford Dental Care (8.7 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near Slade?
Our register has 0 practices within 5 miles of Slade, 14 practices within 10 miles and 60 practices within 20 miles. None is inside 5 miles; the closest is in Sittingbourne, 6.4 miles away.
Where can I get a retainer near Slade?
The nearest practice to Slade that lists retainers is Repton Dental Studio in Ashford, about 8.0 miles to the south-east. Others nearby include Ashford Dental Care (8.7 miles) and Aligndent Ashford (Formerly The Orthodontic Practice) (8.7 miles).
Is Slade a family area?
14.7% of the local population is under 16, per the most recent Census.
What NHS area is Slade in for dental services?
Slade sits within NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board for NHS dental commissioning.
What kind of area is Slade?
ONS classifies Slade as smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city.
How deprived is Slade compared with the rest of England?
By the national deprivation index, Slade is more deprived than most of England. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
How much does a replacement retainer cost?
Replacement Essix retainers typically cost £80–£150 per arch. Hawley retainers may cost £150–£250 and last longer. Fixed retainer repair (rebonding a wire) typically costs £50–£150. Costs vary by practice — contact your treating orthodontist or a local practice for a quote.
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 Kent
Explore retainers information for other towns and cities in Kent — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: