Throughout the months of your Invisalign treatment, you have been diligent about using your aligners. Now, you are finally approaching the finish line. It will be an exciting moment when your dentist declares that you have successfully completed your treatment! Soon, you will move onto the next phase of your experience — maintaining your results. You will need to wear a retainer. Why is doing so important, and exactly how long will have to wear a retainer after Invisalign? This blog post provides the answers.
The Importance of Wearing Your Retainer
Your teeth have a sort of memory. Therefore, when pressure is no longer being placed on them by your Invisalign aligners, their tendency will be to start drifting back into their former positions. A retainer is a small device whose purpose is to keep your teeth where they belong. If you fail to use it as instructed, you could end up losing out on the beautiful, healthful results of your Invisalign treatment!
How Long Will You Need to Wear a Retainer?
It will be best if you continue to use a retainer for the rest of your life. Do not let that scare you! After the initial stages of retainer wear, keeping your teeth in place should be pretty easy.
If you have a removable retainer, you will need to wear it full-time (20 – 22 hours each day) at first. Doing so should be simple for you because you are already in the habit of wearing your Invisalign aligners. Now, you will be doing the same thing with a slightly different oral device.
After some time (usually a few months), you might be given permission to wear your aligner only at night. Eventually, your dentist might inform you that you only need to use it a few nights each week. If your retainer ever starts to feel uncomfortably tight, that is a sign you are not using it enough.
Caring for Your Retainer
A removable retainer may last for a few years (or a decade or longer, depending on the materials used to make it). You can minimize costs and maximize the lifespan of your retainer by taking excellent care of it. Here are a few tips to that end:
- Maintain excellent oral hygiene. Both your mouth and your retainer should be kept clean so they do not accumulate harmful or odorous bacteria.
- Consume only plain water while wearing your retainer. Eating and drinking anything else while wearing your retainer could damage it.
- Store your retainer properly. When you are not using your retainer, keep it in a protective case and put it someplace where curious pets will not be able to reach it.
A retainer can help you enjoy a straightened smile throughout your lifetime! Follow your dentist’s instructions to the results of your Invisalign can reach their potential.
Meet the Practice
The expert team at Northborough Dental Associates is proud to be a local Invisalign provider. If you are thinking about getting started with treatment, or you have questions about maintaining your results after Invisalign, we would love to speak with you. Contact our friendly staff at 508-571-0358.