What Happens When You are Not Wearing your Post-Invisalign Retainer

SURREY, British Columbia - July 19, 2018 - PRLog -- For anyone that has ever been through an orthodontic treatment, one of the most exciting moments of their dental journey is the unveiling of their new smile, when the braces come off or when the last Invisalign tray is completed.

However, what many patients do not realize at first is that while the bulk of the smile-corrective treatment is over, there is still some maintenance work to be done. In particular, that means wearing a special retainer at night. Whereas traditional braces, clear braces, lingual braces, or Invisalign molds shift the teeth into the correct alignment for an anatomically appropriate bite, retainers are basically metal wire appliances or clear plastic molds that help to keep teeth in the position to which the original orthodontic device shifted them.

Why Must I Wear A Retainer?

When teeth are moved into proper alignment, they have the force of wire, often anchored onto the back teeth, applied to them to keep them in position. Once this force is gone, teeth may start to move back to their previous places, unless stabilized. Retainer wear will help the teeth form a healthy, strong bone structure in the new placement within the jaw, making your new beautiful smile permanent.

How Long Must I Wear A Retainer for Teeth To Not Shift Back?

This is a question to discuss with your dentist, but the general recommendation is that you should wear it nightly for about one year. Thereafter, it is recommedned that you wear it a few times per week indefinitely. This last part is for best results in especially difficult cases. If your orthodontic work was for a severe overbite, crossbite or other issue--helping your teeth remain challenged from reverting back to incorrect positioning is of utmost importance to save you a repeat treatment later.

Sometimes, bonded retainers are recommended if your severe condition was treated in adulthood. Then the ligaments that hold your teeth to the gums are quite likely to allow your teeth to begin shifting back to their original spots as soon as treatment ends. This is why getting orthodontic evaluation as a child or teenager has so many advantages. You can form the ligament memory early on, so that teeth are less likely to shift without a retainer.

Prevention Of Various Future Problems

Not only will wearing a retainer prevent shifting, it will help against incorrect tooth alignment should your wisdom teeth come in. Sometimes, those will cause crowding, which results in crooked teeth and discomfort. With the retainer, teeth are held in position, so wisdom teeth must grow in a limited space in the back.

Additionally, people lose bone in their teeth and jaws with age, which causes teeth to grow inward and to become gapped as the bone infrastructure diminishes. This is discouraged if you are wise to wear your retainer a few times weekly for the duration of your life. While this may seem annoying, the problems that are prevented are not simply cosmetic. Bite misalignment, difficulty chewing, headaches, etc. all result from inappropriate teeth positioning, so the retainer is saving you time, dental trouble, and money.

To discuss your orthodontic treatment options and aftercare with a leading dentist in Surrey, British Columbia, call Dr. Kanani today at (604) 589-2212 (https://www.guildfordorthodontics.com/site/contact-map-su...).