How Many Hours You Have to Give to Your Invisalign Retainers

At the end of Invisalign treatment, there comes a time when patients feel satisfied with how aesthetically pleasing their smile looks. However, in some cases, the teeth still need the support to maintain the positive results of the treatment so far- and, there is where retainers work! In this context, you will find less revealed aspects of wearing retainers-

How Many Hours a Day Is Ideal to Wear the Retainers
Soon after the completion of the Invisalign treatment, the dentists will devise an aftercare plan for the patient, where the expert may involve the use of the retainers to ensure the treatment is not reversed.

So, the orthodontist may ask to wear the retainer for 22 hours a day for the initial three to six months. After the initial six months of wearing the retainers, the orthodontist will examine the mouth to make sure that the teeth are securely placed before allowing the patients to reach the transition point where they have to wear the retainer only at bedtime.

Though the retainers have to wear at night, the span of wearing the retainer may last up to one year. After completing the span of 1 year, patients have to wear the retainers every alternative night. The orthodontist may advise them to continue doing so for the rest of their lives since the teeth will move back to their previous position if the retainers are not worn.

How to Take Care of the Retainers
Since the retainer will be used for a long time down the line, proper care is required to prevent wasting money by replacing it frequently. The best way to take proper care of the retainer is by keeping it in the proper storage case when you take it off. It helps to prevent bacteria buildup and the risk of losing them.

Instead of using abrasive toothpaste to clean the retainers, dentists should recommend using a particular cleaning solution made to clean the retainers. Generally, a solution of soap and water or sometimes tablets are available to create the particular solution to soak and do a deep cleaning of the retainers.

Moreover, the patients are advised to take the retainer out, when eating, as it will prevent the food from getting stuck inside. Also, you shouldn’t drink hot beverages while wearing the retainer in the mouth, as it will prevent them from melting or warping.

Different Types of Retainers:
There are 3 different kinds of retainers available. One is the Hawley retainer, which is made of acrylic and metal. 2nd one is Essix retainer, which looks exactly like the Invisalign aligner tray, which comes as a bit more sturdy and durable. The 3rd one is the permanent retainer, which will be glued to the back of the teeth and they aren’t removable either.

No matter which type of retainer you have, they all serve the same purpose to keep the teeth straight. Retainers make sure that your invested money throughout the teeth straightening treatment must not go in vain.

You must know that teeth are pretty dynamic, so unless they are held in place, they will keep shifting over time. Since you don’t want your perfect smile to drift over time, retainers are the solution not just after the treatment, but to guarantee a perfect smile for life.

A Few Amazing Facts about Retainers: Failure to wear the retainer as directed by the orthodontist could mean that you might have to start the treatment with the braces again. So, those who don’t want to wear the Invisalign aligners for another 18 months must follow the instructions of the dentist and wear the retainers as suggested. And, here are some amazing facts to know about retainers-

Retainers Keep Natural Teeth Movement to a Minimum: There is no perfect retainer for all the patients and there is no retainer that will keep the teeth exactly in the same position as they were just after taking out the braces. It means, genetics, tongue position, and regular use can cause changes that can’t be prevented completely, but the retainers can minimize the changes.

Some Patients Wear Their Retainers Too Much: Some of you may surprise whether it is really possible or not. Well, for some patients who use vacuum-formed clear retainers over the front teeth, the full-time wearing can lead to anterior open bite. It is a space between the upper and lower front teeth, which develops in the same size as the plastic covering the teeth. However, the teeth will settle back together after the retainer type is changed, when it will cover all of the chewing areas or none at all.

Part-Time Wear Works As Much As Full-Time Wear: We all have the same question that how many hours for retainer work best? According to the studies, there is no significant difference between the teeth movement in wearing the retainers for the full and wearing the retainers for the part-time. In the European Journal of Orthodontics, Drs. Thickett and Power said they always prescribed their patients to wear the upper retainers in the nights only after an initial break-in period of 48 hours.

So, the conclusion is, based on the dental condition, your orthodontist will recommend a proper retainer to wear for certain hours which will be most effective to you. Boo an appointment with the seasoned orthodontist for Invisalign in Battersea, who treated your oral problem with Invisalign braces. Based on the dental condition, the expert will give you Invisalign retainers along with the wearing schedule to support your teeth after the treatment.