Does affixing an orthodontic retainer to the teeth invalidate the ablution (wudu), knowing that the dentist uses an adhesive substance to secure it?

It is permissible to put braces on teeth, and this does not invalidate the purification (ghusl and wudu') even if water is prevented from reaching the teeth. This is because rinsing the mouth (madmadah) and sniffing water into the nose (istinshaq) are Sunnah according to the majority of scholars, so if they are omitted, the purification remains valid. Those who consider them obligatory – like the Hanbalis – do not stipulate that water must reach all parts of the mouth and nose; rather, they only consider it desirable. As for the Hanafis, who consider them obligatory in ghusl but not in wudu', they explicitly state the obligation of encompassing the parts of the mouth and nose with water. However, they made an exception for what involves hardship or difficulty, so the obligation of washing under dental braces and the adhesive material is waived due to hardship and difficulty. It is sufficient to pass water over them, based on the Almighty’s saying: {and He has not placed upon you in religion any difficulty} and {Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity}.