Teeth shifting through course of a day. Any suggestions?

Your best bet is to discuss it with the doctor that did your treatment.  If the retainer is able to move teeth back, the retainer is till doing the job, and the treatment looks like it went fine.  The prior gap tend to want to reopen after orthodontics, kind of like a spring. Check you habits if you are pushing the tongue against your teeth.  The other most likely options that you have thick fibers between the teeth and the tissue is too thick for no gap, it also could be that muscle that moved your upper lip  (called frenum) attaches between these teeth and when you talk  or lough  pulls your teeth forward making the gap open.  The best solution for those is to cut the fibers and frenum with laser (best) or scalpel.  It will not make it worse cosmetically, but will stop that movement.  then wear your retainer for a few weeks  - if you can during the day also to get things more stable.  If that does not work alone, you can add bonded retainer - which is  a wire that holds the teeth on the toungue side and prevents movement. 

Please remember that 40% of all people treated orthodontically (regardless of treatment modality- Invialign, or conventional braces) will have some degree of relapse of some of their teeth, in the direction of their original positions. Therefore, retention of your final result is a life-time responsibility

Dear ifclm,Thank you for posting your question on Real Self. I will answer your question the best I can with the information given. If possible, I recommend visiting the orthodontist that completed your treatment and address this concern with him or her. There are some different options to prevent this from happening. In order for me to give you a solution, I would need to know why the teeth are shifting. He will also discuss with you any financial responsibilities. Regarding your insurance, usually it is a one in a lifetime maximum. So if there is a charge, it would be out of pocket. I I hope that this helps and good luck!Best,Dr. Jenn

Take a look at your habits.  Maybe your pushing your tongue against your front teeth during the day?  You can consider getting a fixed retainer behind the teeth that are shifting if it is being cause by a habit.  This can be harder to clean but it will bring stability to these teeth and keep the gap closed.  Another possibility is that your bite is causing you to push your lower jaw forward and that is causing the teeth to move.  In this case your bite would have be addressed.     

Actually, sounds like your treatment went fine.  When a space is closed around adult teeth, especially the two front ones, there is always a tendency to reopen slightly regardless of retainer wear.  Has to do with the fact that the gum tissue with all its collagen fibers and such gets pinched in but does not necessarily completely shrink away.  Sort of like a little bit of rubber being compressed.  The solution is to simply have a dentist get you a little numb there and remove the tissue with a little incision or using a laser.  The new tissue will form and not have that rubber effect.  No more treatment and same retainer.