How long do I wear my orthodontic retainers after treatment?
We often get asked this question by our patients. At the end of your treatment, we will give you a set of clear, removable retainers. Think of retainers as part of your orthodontic treatment, not something separate.
Orthodontic retainers retain teeth. They keep your teeth where they are when you complete braces or Invisalign. To maintain your new smile, you will wear retainers for life! Back in the day, there was an idea that once teeth moved, they would stay in place. This proves to be false!
Your teeth have ligaments, which have memory. This means that over time, your teeth will move back to where they were. Don’t let shifting happen to you!
We have retreated many patients because they did not wear their orthodontic retainers. While we love seeing you, we don’t want this for you either! Every treatment plan at Katy ClearChoice Orthodontics includes retainer check appointments.
Retainer check appointments give us an opportunity to check your retainer. We will talk to you about how it is feeling in your mouth. Additionally, we will make sure it isn’t broken and assess how often to wear it throughout the day.
Dr. Gutierrez has his patients wear retainers full-time after ending braces or Invisalign. After about 6 months of wearing your retainers full time, you will probably be ready for night-time only wear. Dr. Gutierrez determines this. If you are unsure about your own treatment, please call us at (281) 392-0888 for confirmation. If you are not a patient at our office, please ask your orthodontist for their recommendation.
There are other retainer options available and offered in our office. However, they are not always recommended. We are happy to discuss with Dr. Gutierrez what is best for your specific treatment plan! To address questions about these options, please call us to schedule an appointment.
Replacement orthodontic retainers are also available! If you lose or break your retainers, you have options. The first, and recommended, is to call us as soon as possible to order a replacement retainer. The second is to wait and risk your teeth shifting.
At our Katy, Texas orthodontic office, we would then schedule an appointment. We will determine whether you will retreat or buy new retainers to keep your teeth where they’re at.
All KCC Orthodontics retainers are digitally scanned using the latest technology. We are equipped with an iTero scanner. We use this scanner to scan your teeth and order your retainers from a lab. These retainers are 3D printed with clear plastic. They are comfortable and fit within your lifestyle!
For more questions about retainers, please reference our other resources. See other blogs, view our retainer information, or contact us Monday through Friday.
