Retainers in The Inch 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 — 2.4 miles |
| Practices on our register | 113 within 5 miles, 141 within 10, 239 within 20 |
| Area type (ONS) | Large Urban Areas |
| Deprivation | Around the Scotland average |
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 The Inch listing retainers
On our practice register: 113 practices within 5 miles of The Inch, 141 practices within 10 and 239 practices within 20. The closest is 1 LIBERTON BRAE in Danderhall, 0.7 miles 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 LIBERTON BRAEDanderhall | 0.7 miles west | – | – | – | – |
| CRAIGMILLAR DENTAL CENTREDanderhall | 0.9 miles north | – | – | – | – |
| BRITE DENTAL GILMERTONDanderhall | 1.0 miles south-east | – | – | – | – |
| Southside Dental CareEdinburgh | 1.0 miles north-west | – | – | – | 4.8 (437 reviews) |
| BARBOUR DENTAL PRACTICEEdinburgh | 1.2 miles north-west | – | – | – | – |
| PRESTONFIELD BUPA DENTAL PRACTICEEdinburgh | 1.2 miles north-west | – | – | – | – |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to The Inch with orthodontic practices
The closest town with orthodontic practices is Danderhall, 0.7 miles west; the next are Edinburgh (1.0 miles north-west) and Loanhead (1.2 miles south).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| Danderhall | 7 | 0.7 miles west |
| Edinburgh | 20 | 1.0 miles north-west |
| Loanhead | 1 | 1.2 miles south |
| Musselburgh | 1 | 2.4 miles north-east |
| Colinton | 1 | 2.5 miles south-west |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Retainers near The Inch
| 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 (2.4 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.
Retainers are the final — and permanent — phase of any orthodontic treatment. During the months of remodelling, retainers hold the teeth precisely where treatment left them. Any orthodontic practice in The Inch can fit, replace or repair them if you need it.
Which Retainer Is Right for You in The Inch?
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 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 The Inch now provide both a fixed wire for continuous protection and a removable Essix tray for overnight use, combining the strengths of each.
How Long Do You Need to Wear Retainers?
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.
A bonded wire simply stays put, quietly doing its job without any effort from you, which is why it's the most dependable form of retention.
If a removable retainer stops fitting after a gap in wear, don't force it — contact your orthodontist. A new retainer, or occasionally a short retreatment, is far cheaper than letting relapse set in.
Retainer Services in The Inch
How quickly you can be seen, and what's on offer, varies between the practices serving The Inch. By ONS classification, The Inch falls under large Urban Areas. For NHS dental services, The Inch falls under NHS Lothian. Measured by orthodontic practices within five miles (113), The Inch has more choice than 96% of towns in Scotland. By national deprivation ranking, The Inch is roughly mid-table for Scotland. For hospital-based orthodontic care, The Inch is about 38 miles from Dundee Dental Hospital in Dundee. See local practice availability in The Inch → They typically offer retainer fitting, replacement, and emergency repair appointments.
Private replacement Essix retainers (per arch) costs in The Inch generally sit 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 The Inch can usually provide replacement retainers.
Post-Brace Care in The Inch
The end of active orthodontic treatment in The Inch is a milestone — but not the end of the process. 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.
Ongoing Check-ups After Treatment
Regular 6-monthly dental check-ups don't stop mattering once treatment ends — your dentist will still check a fixed retainer wire is intact, the gum around it is healthy, a removable retainer still fits, and there's no early sign of teeth moving. Get in touch with your orthodontist promptly if a removable retainer stops fitting easily, a fixed wire looks like it's shifted, or you notice any change in tooth position.
Frequently Asked Questions — Retainers in The Inch
Where is the nearest orthodontist to The Inch?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to The Inch is 1 LIBERTON BRAE in Danderhall, about 0.7 miles to the west. The next closest are CRAIGMILLAR DENTAL CENTRE (0.9 miles) and BRITE DENTAL GILMERTON (1.0 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near The Inch?
Our register has 113 practices within 5 miles of The Inch, 141 practices within 10 miles and 239 practices within 20 miles.
Where can I get a retainer near The Inch?
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 The Inch for dental care?
NHS dentistry here is commissioned by NHS Lothian.
What kind of area is The Inch?
ONS classifies The Inch as large Urban Areas.
How deprived is The Inch compared with the rest of Scotland?
By the national deprivation index, The Inch is close to the Scotland average for deprivation. It doesn't affect NHS orthodontic eligibility, which is decided on clinical need alone.
Which towns are close to The Inch?
Kaimes, Nether Liberton, Alnwickhill are within easy reach of The Inch.
Do I always need a retainer after braces?
Yes, without exception — teeth drift back toward where they started without one. How fast varies person to person, but nobody is exempt from needing retention.
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: