Summarize the paper https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajodo.2026.01.025

The paper’s central message is that perfect long-term orthodontic stability cannot be guaranteed, but well-chosen and properly used retainers can reduce unwanted post-treatment tooth movement. It is an online-ahead-of-print AJODO article titled “Posttreatment orthodontic care for retention and stability.”

Key points

• Retention should be viewed as ongoing post-treatment care, not simply the final step after appliances are removed.
• The goal is to minimize clinically unacceptable relapse, rather than promise absolute permanence of the treatment result.
• Retainer selection and follow-up should be individualized; there is no single retention protocol that is optimal for every patient.
• The practical implication is to plan retention early, explain the likelihood of lifelong change to patients, promote adherence, and monitor retainers and tooth positions over time. This is consistent with the paper’s premise, but the full text was not available in the retrieved evidence, so I cannot reliably summarize its specific protocols, recommendations, or supporting data.