Month: August 2022

Retainers are used for keeping the teeth in the correct position. If you want your teeth to always stay straight and prominent you have to wear retainers.

Retainers are either made from plastic, metal, or acrylic. There are different types of retainers in the market and the dentist will give you one according to your teeth condition. Mainly there are two types of retainers: permanent and removable. Permanent retainers are also called fixed retainers and removable retainers are also called temporary retainers.

The purpose of both the retainers is the same: they prevent your teeth from any dental relapse and help you secure a healthy and beautiful smile for life.

However, it is important to know how both the retainers work so you can make an easy choice. Various factors make both these retainers different from each other; therefore, it is important to take help from your dentist to select the right one.

Some features of permanent and removable retainers

Permanent retainers:

Removable retainers:

Retainers are very important to wear; they protect your teeth from shifting back and ensure you have a straight and prominent-looking smile all your life. Once you are done with your retainers, your dentist will give you retainers to wear to prevent any dental relapse.

Retainers are custom-made, similar to your aligners. Retainers fit your teeth and apply pressure to keep teeth in their new position. There are permanent and temporary retainers no matter which one you wear; you must wear them as directed by your dentist.

Generally, retainers are made from either plastic, metal, or acrylic. They sit on your upper and lower teeth to hold them in position until new bones fill the gap that occurred during Invisalign or the teeth straightening process. The main job of your retainers is to apply gentle pressure for the new position for your teeth to become permanent. Your retainers can take around 4-6 months to show results.

What happens when you do not wear your retainers?

Retainers are not ideally made for shifting your teeth back, so they will not work as promptly as Invisalign, but they can move your teeth to some extent. Retainers do not allow precise control to move your teeth back. Therefore, you can not depend solely on retainers to move your teeth back. You have to go through the teeth straightening process; therefore, the Invisalign aligners.

Retainers are meant to stop any dental relapse; you must wear them continuously for the first 3-6 months to ensure your teeth stay in the right position. However, if you have less severe dental issues and your Invisalign treatment is done, your retainers can help move back your teeth slightly.

On the other hand, you can expect your retainers to directly move back your teeth even without going under the Invisalign process. Invisalign aligners are a prerequisite to ensure your retainers work on your teeth and shift them back. Ideally, retainers start showing results within 3-4 months, and you can see a slight difference in your smile.

In addition, for the first 3 months, your dentist will tell you to wear your retainers all the time and just remove them when you are eating, brushing, or flossing; this is to ensure that your retainers work effectively. After that, you can weather them only at night or as your dentist recommends.

Different types of retainers are available in the market; you can visit your dentist to give you the one that best suits your condition. You can be prescribed a temporary or plastic retainer if you have slight or less prominent dental issues. In addition, if you suffer from a severe dental problem, your dentist can give you permanent or wire-bound retainers.

Lastly, make sure to visit your dentist for proper diagnosis and treatment if you have any issues with your Invisalign.