Is Wearing Invisalign Retainer Always Necessary?

It is always gratifying to see the happiness of our patients when their Invisalign is complete. Our staff never tires of seeing the radiant smiles after successful treatment. However, to keep the brilliant smile that you worked to achieve, it is vital for you to follow up with the next phase of treatment the Invisalign retainer.

Some patients mistakenly believe that a retainer is unnecessary or is an additional process. The retainers are the second, and necessary, phase in your Invisalign therapy.

An Invisalign retainer is necessary after Invisalign treatment because, once the procedure is complete, teeth have a natural tendency to slide back into their misaligned positions. The necessity of retainers increases for patients who have had a severe malocclusion. If your orthodontic treatment involved adjusting open bites, gaps, or twisted teeth, your retainer is vital to maintaining the results of your treatment. This is because extreme misalignments are the most likely to shift back into their former positions over time.

There are two types of retainers which are available, fixed retainers and removable retainers. Each kind has pros and cons.

• FIXED RETAINERS- As the name suggests, fixed retainers are permanent. To attach these thin wire retainers, our dentist will bond the wire to the back of the teeth.

Pros: The fixed retainers work very well
Because they are permanent, there is no concern about
losing or breaking retainers.

Cons: It is challenging to floss with fixed retainers. Most patients
do not have the ability needed for the task.

• REMOVABLE RETAINERS- These retainers are similar to Invisalign aligner trays; the most significant difference is the retainers are harder and less flexible than the aligners.

Pros: The removable retainers make oral hygiene and eating easy.

Cons: There is a chance a patient may lose or break the retainer.
A patient may forget to wear the retainer, decreasing its
effectiveness.

When you consider all that you have invested in your Invisalign, spending a little longer wearing a retainer is well worth your time to ensure that your results will last a lifetime.

If you would like to know more, feel free to contact our office. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have about Invisalign retainers.