After you’ve completed your Invisalign treatment, you’ll likely be satisfied with your new smile and ready to show it off to the world. If you’d like to keep your smile for years to come and ensure all the time and money you invested into Invisalign pays off, you’ll need to wear a retainer.
The main job of a retainer after Invisalign treatment is to keep the teeth aligned and provide them with something to lean against so they are unable to shift back into their original positions. Retainer are particularly important for children and teens because their bones have not yet completely hardened.
The amount of time patients have to wear retainers varies. However, a typical retainer schedule may look like this:
- 12 to 22 hours for the initial 3 to 6 months after treatment
- Night time only for the next 6 to 12 months and beyond
- 3 to 5 times per week after one year and beyond
Here at Costa Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we’ll inform you of when and how long you’ll need to wear your retainers in order to keep your teeth straight and smile looking great. While wearing retainers may seem like a hassle for some patients, this is an essential part of Invisalign treatment that should not be overlooked. Issues with bites, spacing, and gaps can stay corrected when patients wear their retainers as instructed.
Contact Costa Family & Cosmetic Dentistry
If you have questions about retainers after Invisalign, we encourage you to reach out to our Great Falls, VA office at 703-439-1214 today.