Immediately after your treatment, you will be directed to wear the retainers between 12 and 22 hours a day for a period of between 12 and 22 hours. This is to ensure that your teeth stay in their new positions and that your jawbone has enough time to adjust to the new alignment. After this process, it is essential to use an orthodontic retainer. You don't have to wear your retainer forever, but you should use it consistently throughout your life.
It takes 9 to 12 months for your body to build up enough bone to stabilize your teeth, so you should wear the retainer for at least 9 to 12 years or as directed by your dentist. From there, you can go on to using them only at night, allowing you to spend them all day without worrying about them. Around 12 months, you can switch to wearing your retainers three to five nights a week. No, they won't, but they should last between 2 and 10 years depending on the type, how well you take care of them and if you don't lose them.
You should use your Invisalign aligners 20 to 22 hours a day to get the results you want. Since you must wear your retainers for the rest of your life, it's critical to take proper care of them to avoid replacing them frequently. During treatment with Invisalign, the jaw would have softened or disappeared so that the teeth could move to their final positions. Invisalign clear aligners are made of patented SmartTrack material that moves your teeth comfortably and predictably.
That's why a person will need to wear their retainer for about 22 hours a day in the days and weeks after Invisalign. Invisalign clear aligners are designed to fit your teeth perfectly, so this shouldn't be a cause for concern. Other people may not even notice you're wearing them, making the Invisalign treatment a perfect fit for your lifestyle. It is important to remember that after finishing your treatment with Invisalign, you can expect to enjoy a beautiful, smooth set of pearly whites.
It's normal for your teeth to move slightly after your Invisalign braces are removed or once you stop using Invisalign. Whether you have metal, transparent braces or removable Invisalign aligners, you'll need to use retainers until the new bone is deposited to keep your teeth in place.
