Ortho Said Clear Retainer is Still Ok if It's Cracked, Is this True?

Thank you for your great question. Clear (also called Essex) retainers  are great as long as they are being changed periodically. In my office we do not recommend these type of  retainers for longer then 6 months. We found that often enough plastic loses elasticity and does not hold teeth in place after that period of time, even in cases where retainer looks ok.If you do not want change retainers periodically consider Hawley's retainer as an alternative. It will last a lot longer.

Clear retainers are effective at keeping the teeth straight and patients seem to do a better job wearing them than traditional Hawley retainers. Clear retainers typically last about a year, so it's important to have a back up plan. Invisalign now offers the so called Vivera retainers, which gives you get a series of 4 clear retainers per arch. Expect to invest in keeping your teeth straight after the braces are removed. Orthodontic retention requires a lifetime committment, but retainers do not last a lifetime.

clear retainers just don't last as well as the traditional colored plastic and wire ones.  Even if they are not cracked they can stretch and fail to keep the teeth straight.  We tell our patients that they are only good for 12 months....after that they may or may not hold the teeth straight!

It is certainly possible that a simple crack in a retainer may be innocuous.  Small cracks may not affect the functionality of a retainer.  The crack may never cause a problem or perhaps that weak spot may result in eventual fracture of the retainer; only time will tell.  Only your orthodontist can determine if the crack would cause a problem with the retainers function; namely, holding your teeth in position.  

A clear retainer is commonly known as an Essex retainer in the profession.  Theny tend to wear out and stretch more quickly than traditional acrylic ones.  Bonded retainers which are invisible from the front but are essentially wires affixed to the inside surface of your teeth are very good as wel.  Sometimes we use them in combination.  A cracked or old retainer should usually be replaced.  If a retainer doesn't fit tight (ie there is wiggle room) then the teeth will start to shift.  Ideally you would have a good acrylic retainer and replace it every 3-5 years.  Clear retainers are good for at best 1 year in my opinion,