Blog
Dental hygiene tips for healthy teeth & gums
What happens when you stop wearing 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?
The following are some adverse effects of not wearing your retainers:
- Teeth tend to shift back; if you stop wearing retainers, they will move back to their previous position, causing dental relapse.
- Your teeth can become formally crowded if you stop wearing retainers.
- Your teeth will not remain stable if you stop wearing retainers before the treatment ends.
- You can develop uneven tooth positioning over time if you stop wearing retainers in the middle of your treatment.
- Retainers hold teeth, but if you stop wearing them, you can also develop cross-bites over time.
These are some of the adverse effects of not wearing your retainers. However, you can remove your retainers for some time or wear them only overnight after 6 months or as directed by your dentist. Lastly, make sure you visit your dentist if you experience any issues with your retainers.