How Long to Wear Retainers After Invisalign?

The Invisalign® treatment straightens your teeth using special sets of clear aligners over 12 to 18 months. After finishing with the last tray, you will have to put on retainers as your cosmetic dentist recommends.

These retainers are what prevent your teeth from going back to their original spots. Neglecting retainers prevents your smile from looking as good as you want it to, which may also affect your overall health. In this article, we cover the most frequent questions asked about Invisalign retainers.

My teeth Move After Taking off My Retainer. Why?

It’s normal to be a little reluctant to wear other orthodontic appliances after the treatment Is over. However, we advise wearing retainers as instructed by the dentist near you, however uncomfortable, lest your teeth start shifting back.

You might fail to notice the movement, but with time, changes are more visible. For instance, your retainer begins to feel tight around the teeth if you don’t wear it for several days. As long as you continually wear them, your retainers are a perfect fit.

Again, after Invisalign treatment, it’s normal for your teeth to continually move due to the effects of chewing, biting, swallowing, and speech. The purpose of retainers is to prevent these effects, thus maintaining your beautiful smile longer.

What Happens after the Last Invisalign Tray?

Other people also ask if they need to wear aligners after the Invisalign treatment. Invisalign at Anding Family Dental may differ from other tooth straightening options, but the result is always similar. Therefore, you still need to wear retainers after the last tray.

Note that the surrounding jawbone only partially holds your teeth into place. During the Invisalign treatment, your jawbone may have softened up and lost its strength (resorption), which means your teeth can easily slide back into their original positions.

Therefore, after you stop wearing Invisalign braces, Invisalign retainers are necessary to hold the teeth into place while the new bone gets deposited. It takes roughly 9 – 12 months for the bone to develop to stabilize the new teeth’ positions fully.

It’s 12 months after Invisalign. What Should I Expect?

In 12 months after your last Invisalign trays, the jawbone is entirely deposited around the teeth being aligned. They are, therefore, stable. Within the 12 months, you are expected to regularly wear your retainers to maintain the teeth’ shape since the bone wasn’t developed enough.

However, after 12 months, you can wear the retainers less frequently. The pediatric dentist in Omaha, NE 68132, USA, recommends only wearing them about 3 to 5 times a week.

Your teeth might not move as dramatically after the jawbone fully develops, but expect them to slightly move forward as you age. Still, this change does not occur overnight. You will notice a difference over decades.

Invisalign for Children’s Teeth

Invisalign is safe for adults, but the case gets different when it comes to children. Experts do not recommend the treatment for children with milk teeth. We advise that you wait until your child develops permanent teeth, at least after 13 years old.

You can give or take several years, then subject them to Invisalign treatment. Schedule an appointment today with the pediatric dentist in Omaha, NE 68132, USA, to determine if Invisalign is the best option for your kid.

Are Permanent Retainers A Good Option?

Retainers after Invisalign can are categorized as either removable or permeant. Removable retainers are of three types, namely Hawley Retainers, Vivera Retainers, and Essix retainers.

Hawley retainers are also called wire retainers as they consist mainly of a metal wire and a plastic/acrylic to rest on your moth roof.

Vivera is the official retainer for Invisalign and is crafted almost similar to the Invisalign trays. They are made to mimic the trays. Essix retainers are similar to Vivera retainers but are made using thinner plastic, so they might not last as long as the former.

Then there are the permanent retainers which are non-removable. Permanent retainers consist of a wire bonded on the inside of the front teeth, which keeps them in place. Permanent retainers after Invisalign are the most commonly used for people whose teeth are likely to relapse.

They are also recommended if you might not follow the instructions that come with removable retainers. An advantage of permanent retainers is that they cannot be lost and are less likely to break.