Masticatory function between chewing with and without wearing clear thermoplastic appliances

Wearing clear retainers while chewing decreases objective and subjective masticatory function immediately after completing orthodontic treatment. However, this significantly improved to levels comparable to chewing without retainers after a 3-month follow-up. Age, sex, and extraction/non-extraction treatment were not associated with the difference in masticatory function while chewing with and without wearing the retainers.