The oral retractor is provided for retracting at least a portion of a patient's mouth. The oral retractor is formed from single, continuous closed-loop strand of stainless steel wire. The oral retractor includes a superior lip-engaging portion for retracting the patient's upper lip away from the upper teeth and gums, and an inferior lip-engaging portion for retracting the patient's lower lip away from the patient's lower teeth and gums. Bilateral arcuate cheek-engaging portions extend posteriorly from the lip-engaging portions for retracting the patient's cheeks away from the teeth and gums. The lip-engaging portions are formed from linear portions defining tented arches that extend anteriorly, and the superior lip-engaging portion may be canted upward, while the inferior lip-engaging portion may be canted downward. The cheek-engaging portions may be substantially parabolic. The retractor may be substantially symmetrical about planes bisecting the retractor vertically and horizontally.