When looking into getting Invisalign, some may be wondering – ‘Do you have to wear a retainer forever?’. The answer is no, you don’t have to wear them forever. Typical for normal braces, the Invisalign retainers take roughly 12 to 18 months to correctly align the teeth. This is dependent on the state of the teeth and their positioning. If the movement needed is minimal, it may only take around 6 months. If the movement needed is much larger, it may take up to 24 months for the teeth to be fully straight and aligned with one another.
Making the decision to get Invisalign
To some, the idea of getting braces may be rather daunting. This could be due to the look or the pain which may come with it. Luckily, due to medical advancements within the orthodontic sector, there are new methods – such as clear aligners.
Ahead of starting the alignment with your clear aligners, a consultation would be needed to ensure it’s right for you and to go through any questions you may have regarding the procedure. As the clear aligners are in fact a relatively simple retainer to the person using it, they are removable and typical teeth brushing is possible.
Many different types of teeth issues are fixable with the use of clear aligners.
- Overcrowded
- Open Bite
- Underbite
- Gapped teeth
- Overbite
- Deep Bite
Our expert orthodontists will evaluate the best practice for your individual situation. No two clear aligners are the same. Every case we see is unique and individual to the patient. Once the initial consultation has been completed and the next steps are confirmed, you’ll no longer be asking – do you have to wear a retainer forever?
How Invisalign works
With the use of the latest version of 3D modeling technology, our orthodontist experts have the ability to create a bespoke Invisalign brace to help encourage your teeth to move carefully into their new position. With normal braces, this usually creates some pain and other forms of pain as it’s more of an intrusive form of teeth straightener. Thanks to the clear aligners’ invisible nature, there is little to no pain other than the typical force you’ll feel whilst each tooth gets into its new position.
If you haven’t worn any kind of mouth guard or retainer before, experiencing a slight lisp will be expected. This is due to there being extra material in your mouth which you’ll likely not be used to. This is a side effect that will likely diminish in due course.
How long Invisalign takes to work
‘Do you have to wear a retainer forever’ needn’t be the question that plays on your mind before or during the Invisalign process. The length of time in which you need to wear the Invisalign purely depends on the amount of movement which needs to take place. This could be anywhere from 6 months to up to 24 months.
As we’ve slightly touched on before, if minimal movement in your teeth is needed, then we would expect this form of treatment to last around 6 months. This could be due to the teeth only needing slight pressure to move a lower amount of teeth. If you’re requiring a large portion of your bite to be aligned and moved into a new location altogether, because of an overcrowding issue, for example, this could take up to 24 months.
Every case and every patient has different requirements and different needs to get their teeth into a perfect working order. Our experts will approach each case individually to make sure the needs of the patient are met.
When to stop wearing your retainer
Through multiple checkups and appointments with our experts, you’ll receive the proper advice to go along with the upkeep and management of your Invisalign retainers. As we’ve mentioned, clear aligners are on a case-by-case basis for us. This means, each person’s experience is typically different and the end goal may be sooner or later.
Our Orthodontists, using their prior experience and professional knowledge, will be able to advise you each step of the way. Cleaning tips, maintenance and health care will all be provided when getting your clear aligners with us.
Get in touch
If Invisalign is the next step for you to gain your ideal set of teeth, get in touch with us today. Any questions you may have, ‘Do you have to wear a retainer forever?’ and ‘How do I take care of my retainer?’ will be happily answered by our experts.
Any other similar FAQs can be found on our website.
