Just like changes that occur to the body over the years as we age, the teeth are no exception. Whether you have had orthodontic treatment or not, your teeth can shift and change in position if not retained.Most people notice changes to their lower front teeth in the form of “crowding”. I recommend to my patients that they wear retainers indefinitely after orthodontic treatment. Immediately after orthodontic treatment I advise them to wear retainers every night while sleeping forapproximately 2 years. After the 2 year period of nightly wear, I suggest that they continue to wear their retainers at least a few nights a week.I explain to them that they will be able to tell how often to wear the retainers based on how they feel when they are worn. For instance, if the retainers feel tight and the teeth feel sore after missing a few nights of retainer wear, the retainers should be worn more frequently since the teeth are trying to shift. However, in the same scenario, if the retainers are worn and they feel “passive” with no discomfort to the teeth, that may be an indication that they can be worn less frequent. I do not ever tell my patients to stop wearing retainers as there is always the possibility of the teeth shifting out of the desired position.
