Following active orthodontic treatment, patients are often prescribed retainers, which ensure teeth remain in their improved positions while the surrounding bone remodels and strengthen around them.
most, Retainers are generally worn full-time for a period ranging anywhere from a few weeks to a year, after which they are worn part-time, typically during the evenings and at night, as recommended by your orthodontist.
Retainers can be either fixed (attached to the teeth), or removable. Fixed retainers consist of a small wire concealed behind the front teeth which is not removable by the patient. , and must be removed by your orthodontist. It is possible for the teeth to stay aligned without regular retainer wear, though there is never any guarantee that teeth will stay aligned without retention. For this reason, many orthodontists prescribe a removable retainer to be worn part-time, or during the evenings, for a recommended period of time. Adults patients who undergo orthodontic treatment are more likely to require lifetime retention.