You’ve finished your ALIGNERCO treatment, and your smile is now beautifully straight. And all of that without having to have traditional braces for several years. So now that your treatment is finished, your teeth will be straight forever, right? Well, maybe not, and that’s why we give you a set of retainers for free at the end of your treatment, as well as the option to buy more retainers at a discounted price. You might wonder why you need to wear retainers once your treatment has finished when your teeth are already straight, but there are some important reasons to make sure that you use them.
What Is a Retainer For?
The purpose of a retainer is to help keep your teeth straight after they have been straightened. If you’ve either conventional braces or clear aligners, you will be recommended the use of a retainer after treatment. A retainer is generally worn at night, so you can simply put it in before you go to sleep and take it out in the morning. After you have completed your treatment with clear aligners, you will be expected to wear a retainer all the time for the first few months.
It is important to wear a retainer because it’s easy for your teeth to move again after your treatment is over. Wearing braces makes the bone soft and malleable, which means your teeth might go back to their original position if you don’t wear retainers. Bottom line, teeth have memory and want to go back to where they were before! Opting for Orthodontics will make your teeth susceptible to movement.
How Long Do You Need to Wear a Retainer?
The length of time you need to wear a retainer will depend on your treatment and age. When children have their teeth straightened, they may only need to use a retainer for a year to help keep their teeth straight. However, adults have a much stronger bone in their jaws, which makes it more difficult to keep teeth in place once they have been straightened. As well as wearing a retainer all the time for the first few months after your treatment, it is sometimes recommended that you wear one at night for the rest of your life. While this might seem like overkill, it will help to keep your smile in place.
What Happens If You Don’t Use a Retainer
Without the use of retainers, your teeth could start returning to their previous position. Moving your teeth using orthodontics means that the bone needs to shift and be reabsorbed to make space for your teeth to move. Once they’re in a new position, new bone needs to be deposited to hold them in place. Without retainers, your teeth might not be held in position long enough for their new positions to be solidified.This is why it’s recommended to wear retainers for at least the first few months.
But why might you be asked to wear a retainer for the rest of your life? The reason for this is that your teeth can also change and shift as you get older. Your teeth start to move very slowly forward and inward. Although this takes many years, you can prevent it by wearing a retainer at night.
How Long to Wear Your Retainers
As well as knowing how many months or years you should wear a retainer, it’s also necessary to know how long you should wear it each time. This will depend on how recently you finished your treatment. When you first finish, you will need to wear them all the time, around 20-22 hours each day, to help ensure your newly-straightened smile stays in place. This is necessary for between 4 and 6 months. After you have worn them all the time for a few months, you might benefit from wearing one overnight or for a few hours during the day. We give you clear retainers that are molded to fit your teeth.
Clear retainers are a great option because they’re virtually invisible. You can wear them whenever and wherever you want, and no one will be able to see them. These retainers are also removable, so you can take out your retainer when you’re eating, or you want to brush your teeth. They’re not bulky, and they’re comfortable to wear, so they’re ideal for helping you to maintain your straight smile for a long time.
Retainers After Your ALIGNERCO Treatment
When your treatment with ALIGNERCO is finished, you will be given retainers to use. The removable retainers are super convenient and easy to use, and they’ll keep your smile straight. Your retainers are included in the cost of your treatment, making them a continuation of the treatment. You’ll keep your teeth from moving by wearing your retainers as you’re instructed.
Keeping Your Retainers Clean
It’s easy to keep removable retainers clean. You can simply take them out whenever you want, and clean them by brushing them gently and with tap water at room temperature after each meal. You can also use a special retainer cleaner product to help clean your retainer more thoroughly. Retainers don’t last forever, but they can last for a number of years. We can help you to ensure you have spare retainers on hand with our discounts for people who have completed their invisible aligner treatment with ALIGNERCO.
You might just want your treatment to be over once it’s over, but your retainers play an important role in your life once you have your new straight teeth. They help to keep your teeth in position so you can keep your brand new smile, both now and into the future, as you get older. Clear retainers are perfect after you have opted for clear aligners. You can wear them anywhere, and no one will notice. It’s an alternative to a bulky retainer that you have to wear to bed, which you might find less comfortable.
Your retainers will become your best friend after you’ve straightened your teeth. We give you a set of free retainers when your ALIGNERCO treatment is finished, plus you can get a discount on more retainers if you need them. Backup retainers are a great idea, ensuring you always have one on hand.
