Invisalign Retainers

The job of Invisalign is not done after your last aligner. You still have to tend to your teeth with normal hygiene habits. And your doctor will issue you a retainer, made of the same thermoplastic as your Invisalign aligners. You and your retainer will spend the rest of your life together to some degree, because if you don’t you risk dental relapse. 

After treatment, you should be prepared to wear your retainer around the clock for at least six months. Then you graduate to wearing only at night—but that’s permanent. Commitment to wearing a retainer is something any thoughtful dentist will engage you about at the start of treatment—without the retainer, there’s no guarantee the work will last.

Dental relapse occurs naturally as the bite or bones shift. Certain conditions, like open bite or spacing between rotated teeth, have a greater risk of relapse. 

There are options, like fixed retention, that can lead to less retainer use. In fixed retention, a wire is glued to the back of your teeth to hold the space shut. Obviously, this is for patients with repaired diastemas, or front teeth gaps. 

If you’re worried about losing your retainer constantly, you can order backup sets through your Invisalign doctor.