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.