Do I Still Need to Wear a Retainer After Invisalign?

Question

Do you still need to wear a retainer after Invisalign? Or could you simply continue to wear the last Invisalign brace to ensure your teeth stay in place?

Zach Casagrande, DDS, MS · Answer

Most doctors recommend that anyone who has
completed orthodontic treatment, whether braces or Invisalign treatment, use a
retainer to prevent teeth from gradually shifting back towards their initial
position. Because every case is different, please speak to your doctor to
confirm if you need post-treatment retainers.

Majid Alimadadian, BDS, MSc · Answer

Yes, you will need a retainer.  Teeth naturally want to move back to where they used to be, which is why your orthodontist will recommend that you wear a retainer.  Wearing your last Invisalign tray as a retainer is probably not a good idea.  They aren’t made of the same material as long-term retainers.

Sylvan Fain, DDS · Answer

You could theoretically wear the last aligner as your "retainer." However, after time this aligner will discolor, wear or loosen. 

	The only guaranteed way to keep your teeth from shifting is to wear a retainer every night for the rest of your life.

	A fixed or removable retainer are better options than your last aligner.

	If you fail to wear your retainer, just be prepared to go through treatment again.

	The most common Invisalign case in my office is an adult 35-50 years old that had braces as a child, never wore a retainer and now their teeth have shifted.

Janet H. Stoess-Allen, DMD · Answer

The Answer is yes!

	It is important to wear retainers at the completion of active tooth movement. Invisalign has a series of retainers that can be purchased called Vivera retainers.  They are very similar to the Invisalign trays although made of a somewhat stronger material.

	When you purchase Vivera, you will receive 4 retainers per dental arch that will be sent to your home address at the appropriate times over a 2 year period.

Daniel Beninato, DDS · Answer

The quick answer to your question is yes. If you don't wear the retainer after your treatment the teeth will begin to shift and all of the effort and money you put into straight teeth will be gone. Over a period of time you may be able to decrease the time you wear the retainer, but check with your doctor to discuss the time frame they feel is appropriate for you.

Kara J. McCulloch, DMD · Answer

Absolutely !! Whenever we move the teeth, we need to "hold" our result. Moving teeth causes remodeling of the supporting bone and tooth socket. Time is needed to allowing healing and stabilization of the tooth in the "new" position. If retainers are not worn, the teeth can drift back toward their initial position. Regardless, we know that the teeth are not static. They continue to move throughout one's lifetime, therefore maintaining tooth position with retainers is important.

Raj Kumar, BDS, LDSRCS · Answer

It is advisable to wear retainers night and day for at least 3 months after you finish. After that try to wear retainers at night every night for another 3 months and then 1-2 times a week at night forever!!

	You will notice that after 1 year you can wear the retainer once a week.

	Its not too much trouble to do that

	Dr R Kumar BDSLDSRCS

Dalvir Pannu, DDS · Answer

Hi there,

	It is a commonly asked question by our pateints, Retainers is must after invisalign treatment as teeth have a tendency to move back to their original position . All time and money can go wasted if you do not wear the retainers.

Cate Vieregger, DDS · Answer

It is imperitive that you wear your retainers as your Doctor recommends. Studies have shown that without proper retention, the teeth will likely relapse. It would be a shame to invest time and money in a beautiful smile only to let it loose some of it's beauty due to relapse.

Tony Cucalon III DDS · Answer

If you desire to maintain your teeth in their new positions, a retainer of some sort is a must.
To slow down teeth movement, teeth need to be held in their new positions for a length of time.  The roots need to be parallel and all rotations actually need to be overrotated or overcorrected.
Retainer types include: Invisalign retainer, permanent retainer, or Hawley retainer.  In my experience with Invisalign, I actually recommend longer wear of a retainer (vs. braces) to prevent minor tooth relapse.  Also, if the bite is not corrected, there is a greater chance of movement post-treatment.

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