It is generally recommended that patients use the Invisalign device for 12 to 22 hours a day, every day, for three to six months. After this point, most patients can stop wearing the retainer during the day. Once you stop using Invisalign, you should use orthodontic retainers so that your teeth stay in place while new bone is deposited. It takes 9 to 12 months for the body to build up enough bone to stabilize the teeth.
Immediately after treatment, you will be directed to wear the retainers between 12 and 22 hours a day for approximately six months. 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. So, while you should use them consistently throughout your life, you won't need to use them “forever.”Every patient is unique, which means that the aftercare plan that the dentist creates for you may not be the same as that of your co-worker or neighbor.
The general rule is that the longer the corrective treatment lasts, the longer you'll need to wear a retainer to maintain the results. Orthodontists typically recommend the use of retainers full time for at least six months after the last Invisalign aligner. Full time just means taking out the retainers to eat, drink, brush your teeth and use dental floss. At first, you'll probably have to use your retainer just as much as you used your Invisalign aligners. In other words, it would be advisable to keep it in your mouth for at least 20 hours a day, taking it out only for meals and oral hygiene.
This initial stage of using the retainer usually lasts 3 to 6 months. Then, your orthodontist may tell you that you only need to wear your retainer at night. About 12 months after you're done with Invisalign, you may be able to reduce the use of retainers to just 3 or 5 nights a week for the rest of your life. If your retainer ever starts to get too tight, it's a sign that you're not wearing it enough. Whether you're considering, using, or have used Invisalign clear aligners, this post will pay off. During treatment with Invisalign, the jaw would have softened or disappeared (a process called resorption) so that the teeth could move to their final positions.
It takes a while for your teeth to “settle”, so it's recommended that you wear the retainer no later than in the months immediately following treatment. After finishing your treatment with Invisalign, you can expect to enjoy a beautiful, smooth set of pearly whites. Wearing a retainer after completing Invisalign helps support your teeth in their new positions and prevents them from returning to their original position. However, Invisalign patients often use Vivera retainers which look similar to Invisalign aligners but are designed to hold teeth in place rather than displace them. For this reason, you won't have to wear your orthodontic retainers as often in order to keep your beautiful smile straight. Invisalign became available to the public in the late 1990s and revolutionized orthodontics forever. After about six months of treatment with Invisalign, your dentist will examine your mouth to make sure your teeth haven't moved before allowing you to switch from full-time use of retainers down to wearing them only three or five nights a week.
