Mail-in repair
Retainer Repair by Mail: What to Expect
No local lab? You don't need one. Here is exactly what happens from the first photo to the retainer arriving back at your door.
The short version
- Photo check — text or email a photo. We confirm whether we can repair it and which package fits.
- Pay the PayPal invoice — repair doesn't start until it is paid.
- Prepaid UPS labels are emailed to you after the invoice.
- Ship it in — only after we have confirmed the repair and payment.
- We sterilize and repair it in our lab.
- It ships back with UPS tracking.
Full step-by-step details: how mail-order retainer repair works.
Choosing a package
All packages include the repair and prepaid shipping both ways. The difference is shipping speed:
- UPS Ground Saver — $99.35
- UPS 3 Day — $109.50
- UPS 2 Day Evening — $119.50
- UPS 2 Day — $125.50
- Premium Bundle (2nd Day Evening + cleaner) — $155.00
College students and first responders get 10% off with valid ID. Details and add-ons on the prices page.
How long it takes
Total time = shipping in + lab time + shipping back. Lab turnaround is 10–12 days after we receive your retainer, not counting shipping either way. Carrier times for each package are on the prices page. If you need it fast, pick a faster UPS option in both directions.
Before you ship: checklist
- We've confirmed the repair from your photo.
- Your PayPal invoice is paid and you have the prepaid label.
- The retainer is clean and dry, in a hard case, so it can't be crushed in transit.
- You're shipping to the address on the label — not the Dover business contact address.
- No signature-required option on the shipment.
What we repair by mail
Removable Hawley and acrylic retainers — broken wires, cracked acrylic, and broken-off pieces. We don't repair bonded retainers, and we do not repair clear aligners or clear plastic retainers.
Send a clear photo for a repair check: text 657-566-1558 or email smilextechnologies@gmail.com. Include the front, back, and a close-up of the damage, plus the retainer type and what happened. Or use the quote form.
Smile Extension provides mail-order appliance repair, not diagnosis or dental care. If something is painful, injured, or your bite or fit has changed, contact your dentist or orthodontist first.
Quick answers
Do I pay before shipping my retainer?
Yes. After we confirm the repair from your photo, you pay a PayPal invoice and we email prepaid UPS labels.
Is return shipping included?
Yes. Every package includes prepaid UPS shipping both ways.
Related repair guides
Broken retainer?
Send a photo — we confirm the repair before you pay or ship.