How Long Do Invisalign Results Last?

Many of the Invisalign cases we do are re-treatments of adults who had braces as a teen.  Most often they stopped wearing their retainer and the teeth relapsed.  Relapse often occurs because there is just too much tooth structure to fit the space where the body wants the teeth to be.  With Invisalign, in many cases we will slenderize the teeth to make them fit better.  This will make them more stable long term, but we still recommend retainers at night.

Great question!  As an orthodontist, we are always concerned about the longevity of our results.  Teeth always want to go back to the way they were because the gums and bone holding the teeth have a memory of where they came from.  Unless teeth are held indefinitely, they will tend to shift back.  That's what retainers are for.  With Invisalign, the aligners are so easy to wear, that most people don't think it is a big deal to wear them while sleeping.  After a couple years of nighttime wear, a person may be able to gradually reduce to one or two nights a week and still maintain the corrections forever.  Now that is something to sleep on!

Invisalign results will last for the rest of
your life provided that you are following your recommended retainer protocol. 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.