How long do I have to wear a retainer?

Teeth are pretty mobile, so if you don’t keep them in one place, they will keep moving over time. Retainers are the answer since you clearly don’t want your ideal grin to change. A beautiful smile for the rest of your life is not guaranteed by just obtaining braces or Invisalign since studies reveal teeth will continue to move throughout your whole life, not just after treatment.

After you take off your braces or complete your aligner treatment, you must keep your retainer for at least 10 years. Many individuals continue to use their retainers throughout their whole life.

Do they have to be worn at all times?

Whether you choose a fixed or removable retainer, you will need to use it every day for at least ten years, if not the remainder of your life. By exerting regular pressure that causes the network of tissues connecting your teeth to your jaws to stretch, braces and aligners work to straighten your teeth. Based on that pressure, the bones in your teeth remodel and change form. But the tissues still have some spring to them.

How long must a retainer be worn?

The crucial first two weeks. The temptation for teeth to reposition themselves when steady pressure is removed is great. To safeguard your investment, you will wear your retainer constantly throughout this period.  To protect your teeth, you should wear your retainer every night. However, if your dentist gives his or her approval, you may be able to stop using the appliance if you had dental work done when you were a teenager and wore your retainer for 10 years following treatment.

If you have orthodontic treatment as an adult, you must wear your retainer permanently. Simply said, the likelihood of a tooth shifting is higher, and teeth tend to shift as we age. Your retainer should stay a part of your life so that you can protect your investment.

How many hours a day should a retainer be worn?

The first two weeks after treatment are crucial if you just concluded a regimen of orthodontic treatment with braces or aligners. For the first eight weeks after your treatment is over, it is advised that you wear your retainer for at least 12 hours each day. After your teeth have been shifted to a new location, it is essential to wear them with care since they are less secure and more prone to moving at this time. You may usually start wearing your retainers exclusively at night while you sleep after approximately two weeks.

How many days of the week?

Your retainers must be worn continuously. While sometimes skipping a day or night won’t have a major impact, it’s nevertheless crucial to include them in your usual schedule. You may start wearing your retainers exclusively at night after eight weeks of wearing them for half of each day with your orthodontist’s clearance. But as long as you take them out to eat and clean them properly, wearing them more often than at night is never a bad idea.

Call us at 407-876-2991 for an appointment or visit Tringas Orthodontics at our Orlando location in Lake Nona where we also serve St Cloud residents. We are located at 13250 Narcoossee Rd, Suite #100, Orlando, FL 32832. Our Windermere office, where we also serve Dr. Phillips, Winter Garden, Metro West and Ocoee, is located at 422 Main St, #2, Windermere, FL 34786.