The First 2 Years: After your initial time of full-time wear, you will be able to start wearing your retainers during sleep only. From the Third Year to the Rest of Your Life: Now, you can wear your retainers a little bit less. Skipping an occasional night or two is no big deal.
You'll need to wear your retainer for the rest of your life when you have your teeth straightening treatment ends. There are different phases to wearing your retainers.
For most orthodontic treatment, a majority of orthodontists recommend wearing a retainer for at least 10 years after you get your braces off or finish your aligner treatment.
So, Will You Have to Wear Your Retainer Forever? In short, the answer is yes. Previously, patients were told they only had to wear the retainer for a year or two, but advancements in the field of orthodontics have proven that optimal results rest heavily on lifelong wear.
The first consequence of not wearing your retainer after orthodontic treatment is that your teeth may shift back to their original positions. You spent months or even years getting orthodontic treatment, only to watch the results fade.
Ultimately, your retainers are made to keep your teeth in place, not to move them, but they may be able to slightly shift your teeth back in the right circumstances. If it has been too long and your old retainer no longer fits snugly, you should contact your dentist in order to come up with a solution.
While everyone's orthodontist may recommend something different, typically, it is recommended that you wear your retainer every night for the first year. After that, you can switch to 3-5 times a week.
In one way or another, avoiding using the retainer accurately can result in relapse, where your teeth start to shift back to where they were originally. Another reason why you might require orthodontic treatment again is because of unexpected growth.
A fixed retainer comprises a tiny piece of wire custom-made to bond to the back of a person's teeth. It prevents your teeth from moving, and you can smile or speak without anyone noticing. Its longevity ranges from 5 to 10 years or even more. Fixed retainers can last for decades if you maintain them well.
At some point in your life, you'll probably need to replace your retainers. While permanent retainers can last up to 20 years, clear plastic retainers need to be replaced every couple of years. And, some retainers need to be replaced every 6 months.
In particular, plastic retainers can last for 4-5 years if you take proper care of them. Understanding that your oral hygiene routine plays a key role in keeping your retainers up-to-date is vital. Plastic retainers are custom-made, just like your Invisalign.
Right after your braces come off, you will be wearing your retainers full-time for a few months, which will give the bone tissue time to catch up with your teeth. The bad news is, you will need to wear your retainer for the rest of your life, and you can blame mesial drift.
We usually recommend replacing retainers every year, since the plastic stretches. If it's cracked in half or your dog chewed on it, it needs to be replaced right away. If the shape changes or a crack makes it loose (or tight), your teeth will move in sync with the retainer, undoing all of your hard work with braces.
A too-tight retainer can damage your teeth and the surrounding gums. The retainer also could become stuck, which would constitute a dental emergency for which you would need immediate care. A retainer that is too loose won't damage the teeth like forcing in a tight retainer can.
Proven research indicates that patients who do not wear their retainer after having braces removed are at risk of having their teeth move and shift.
A Week: Minor relapses (teeth shifting) may occur, and small spaces and slight rotations might reappear. A Month: Any corrections to the alignment of the bite begin to reverse, meaning an overbite, underbite, or crossbite will start to come back.
Plus, orthodontics can align your jaw position, aiding speaking, chewing, and daily life. 2. We can tell if you haven't been wearing your retainer or Invisalign®trays. Your smile can shift out of place over time, so if you are not wearing your retainer as instructed, your orthodontist will know.
Either the retainer has changed, or the teeth have moved. Generally, it is simple to determine which has occurred. In some cases, retainers are damaged, distorted, or “wear out” with daily use. In most cases, however, the retainer is fine, but the teeth have shifted.
That's because your teeth have shifted out of position. While the retainer shouldn't rip your teeth out of your gums, it could cause them to become loose. That's due to the pressure they put on the teeth. Aside from that, after years of not wearing your retainer, it probably isn't in the best shape.
However, if your gums are swollen or you experience sharp, persistent pain from wearing your retainers, you're recommended to stop wearing them and visit your dentist as soon as possible.
In general, it can take years for teeth to shift significantly, though teeth can start moving slowly back into their old positions after only a few weeks or months.
Your orthodontist will let you know when to start wearing your retainer only at night. But even then, you will have to wear the retainer every night for at least 12-months straight. After that period, you may reduce wear to every other night. This is a routine you'll have to follow probably indefinitely.
In most cases, it's normal for a newly fitted retainer to feel tight and cause discomfort in the first few days. However, if discomfort continues after wearing the retainer for several days, you should reach out to your orthodontist for an adjustment.
Retainers should be a little tight as they are meant to keep your teeth in the same place without them shifting.