The Invisalign journey is an exciting one for those looking forward to a beautiful, straighter smile. But what happens following your last set of aligners – are the changes to your teeth permanent, or will you need to take further steps to keep your smile in perfect condition? If you want to make the most of your investment, you’ll need to wear your retainers regularly once your treatment is over. Here’s why.
The Importance of Wearing a Retainer Following Invisalign Treatment
Following orthodontic treatment, your teeth will naturally want to move back to their original positions, so it’s important to wear your retainer regularly until your teeth get used to their new locations. The first year after you complete Invisalign treatment is the most critical time to be wearing your retainers. Your bones will be remodeling around your teeth during this time in order to keep your teeth in their new positions. If you forget to wear your retainers for an extended period of time, your teeth will gradually shift back to their original positions, meaning your smile will gradually become less straight if you don’t wear your retainer.
Other orthodontic issues, such as bite misalignment, might also return without the proper use of a retainer. When your bite is misaligned for many years, it can cause TMJ pain and the breaking and chipping of your teeth. Both of these things can be avoided when your teeth are in better alignment and maintained by wearing your retainers.
Teeth that are crooked or misaligned are more difficult to clean and offer more hiding spots for cavity-causing bacteria. This means that wearing a retainer doesn’t just benefit your smile’s aesthetics—it also helps to mitigate certain dental issues.
How Long Do I Have to Wear Retainers After Invisalign?
If you want your smile to stay straight and your oral health to remain in peak condition, you’ll need to wear your aligners every night for at least the first year following Invisalign treatment. At first, the bone and gums in your jaw won’t be familiar with your newly straightened teeth, and it could even take a few years for the remodeling process to fully wrap up. Factor in the continued facial and dental growth that occurs as we age, and teeth still have the capacity to move and shift.
After some time, your teeth will get used to their new positions, and wearing a retainer nightly is not as critical. It is still advised to wear your retainer regularly, but the longer you are post-completion of treatment, the less likely your teeth will move as drastically. If you notice your retainers starting to feel tight, that means your teeth have started to shift again, and it’s important to keep up with nightly retainer wearing at this point.
You’ll be advised on your options when it comes to retainers after you’ve wrapped up the last stages of your Invisalign treatment. Remember, no matter your age or the extent of your treatment, it’s always going to be worth taking the extra step and wearing a retainer following Invisalign – after working so hard to achieve successful results, that last thing you should want is for them to disappear due to negligence!
About the Practice
Under the leadership of Dr. Tricia Mockler, our team here at Mockler Dental proudly serves the dental needs of patients in Campbell and the surrounding area. We’re excited to offer a wide variety of preventive, cosmetic, and restorative treatment solutions, including Invisalign clear aligners. If you have any questions about the blog, or you’d like to get in touch with us to set up an appointment, you can reach out online or call today for additional information. Telephone: (408) 871-0877.