Immediately after your Invisalign treatment, you will be directed to wear the retainers between 12 and 22 hours a day for a period of six months. After this period, you can reduce the amount of time you wear them, eventually wearing them only at night. It is essential to use an orthodontic retainer for at least 9 to 12 months or as directed by your dentist, as it takes this amount of time for your body to build up enough bone to stabilize your teeth. No, you don't have to wear your retainer forever.
After the 9 to 12 month period, you can reduce the amount of time you wear them, eventually wearing them only at night. However, it is important to use an orthodontic retainer consistently throughout your life in order to maintain the results of your Invisalign treatment. Invisalign clear aligners are virtually invisible and can treat almost all common teeth straightening problems, from simple to complex. They are designed to fit your teeth perfectly and people may not even realize you're wearing them.
Invisalign became available to the public in the late 1990s and has since transformed the field of orthodontics. More than 13 million people have used Invisalign clear aligners to transform their smiles. Your Vivera retainers will be custom made from an impression or scan of your teeth using the same cutting-edge technology used for Invisalign clear aligners. There are several options to make Invisalign treatment more affordable for you, from using insurance and tax-free money to a monthly payment plan.
In conclusion, while you should use an orthodontic retainer consistently throughout your life, you won't need to use it “forever”. You should use your Invisalign aligners 20 to 22 hours a day for 9 to 12 months in order to get the results you want and maintain them for life.