After Invisalign Treatment, What Type of Retainer Will I Get?

Traditional retainers (with wires) CAN be made, but most people going through invisalign chose it for the "invisible" aspect. So normally a clear retainer that looks similar to the aligners is made. It is made of a more durable material, so just using the final aligner as a retainer will not hold up in the long term.

The retention phase of treatment comes after tooth movements using the aligners have been completed. Due to the tendency of teeth to shift in the human dentition, you can expect that your teeth will naturally begin to shift back to their original position once your prescribed course of clear aligner treatment is complete. For this reason, retention is a lifelong commitment and you MUST follow the retention instructions prescribed by your doctor.  Independent on the type of retainer your dentist suggests.Some instances call for a lingual bar that is bonded to the back of your front teeth. These are rigid metal reinforcements placed behind your teeth to prevent them from moving. In addition, you will need to wear retainers indefinitely or until your doctor tells you that you no longer need them. Retainers are typically worn full time, at least 22 hours a day, for the first few weeks to a few months of use. After that initial retention time, you may, with permission from your doctor, start to decrease the amount of time during which you wear your retainers by approximately two hours a day for each week. After a few months of gradually wearing the retainers less frequently throughout the day, you may, with permission from your doctor, begin wearing your retainers at night only. Please keep in mind that decreasing the amount of time during which you wear your retainers depends on the retainers being comfortable and loose when placed in the mouth. If your retainers feel tight or you feel pressure, you must revert back to and repeat the schedule of the previous week. You must wear your retainers every night for the first year of use. After the first year, you may, with permission from your doctor, begin wearing them every other night, provided that they are loose and fitting well; otherwise, you must continue to wear them every night. You should bring your retainers to all future followup appointments so that your doctor can assess their fit and function and make adjustments as necessary.Common retainers are Clear plastic "Viverra" retainers for Invisalign patients.  As these are made by Invisalign and after completing treatment they offer an east transition for the patient as they are used to  the trim and feel.  Other removable retainers are made of acrylic and wire.  

After Invisalign therapy is completed, you will receive a clear retainer that looks just like your regular Invisalign aligner.  The only difference is that it is a little thicker and more durable.  It is made to be worn nightly for an indefinite period of time. You could ask for a metal retainer, and hopefully your dentist can accommodate you.  Typically, I give my patients the standard clear retainer, but if I had a patient that wanted something different, I would accommodate them.  My patients have always preferred the clear retainer.

The final Invisalign aligner can usually be used as the retainer when treatment is complete.  There are factors where there are exceptions to the rule.  If a patient initially presented with severe crowding or a gap between the upper front teeth, then I usually elect to have a fixed retainer bonded to the tongue-side of the teeth.  After that, I have a clear, plastic, Invisalign-style retainer made to go over the fixed retainers and teeth.  This way, should the fixed retainers "break", the patient always has a backup.
One of the great things about Invisalign Full Treatment is that the patient's case remains open for five years.  I have had patients do a year of Invisalign, go into retention, and come back two years later with some relapse.  Since the case is still active, all I have to do is submit new photos and a new digital intraoral scan, and new aligners are fabricated...AT NO COST TO ME OR THE PATIENT!  That's a really nice feature.

There are a number of different types of retainers available in orthodontics. The most commonly used retainer after invisalign treatment is the Vivera retainer, which is a clear, removable, plastic retainer similar to what the invisalign aligners look like (without the buttons/attachments on the teeth). Some patients will need to get permanent/fixed metal wire retainers that are put behind the teeth to help with retention, but will likely also need to have clear removable retainers as well. Your dentist will be the one to advise you which retainer is best for your particular case.