How Long Will an Invislign Retainer Last?

If your retainer is the Vivera style retainer from Invisalign then the company recommends replacement every 3 months and you sign up yearly for one to be sent to you every 3 months and you renew it yearly. They are very thin, similar to Invisalign aligners. If this is a clear retainer covering all the teeth, Invisalign style, but not made by Invisalign, it depends on the thickness of the plastic and you will need to ask the dentist who made it. Vivera retainers are... more

Vivera retainers by Invisilign are made four at-a-time and are sent over a year's time (every three months). Although the plastic is thicker than the plastic of the aligners, it still will deform over time. The company says the retainers need to be changed every three month. I have found in my practice that my patients have gotten at least six months of use out of each if the final result of the case are stable and supported by the resulting occlusion (meshing)... more

This is a very good question that does not have a definite answer. My answer is: It depends. Mostly it depends on how much clinching and grinding you do while you sleep. Lots of people clinche and/or grind their teeth to one degree or another while sleeping. If you do it a lot with heavy forces then the retainers will not last nearly as long as they would if you don't clinch or grind. Generally speaking, it has been my experience that a well-used Invisalign retainer will last, on the... more