Retainers are designed to prevent changes in your smile after the teeth straightening process. Patients who use Invisalign aligners for the teeth strengthening treatment have to wear retainers to keep their teeth in perfect position. In addition, if a patient does not wear retainers as directed by their dentist, they may have to wear braces again because their teeth shift back to their original position.

After your Invisalign treatment, your teeth are held in place by the surrounding jawbone. But your teeth are not strong enough to stay in place on their own as your jawbone partly holds them. During the teeth straightening process, your jawbone disappears or gets soft. This process is called resorption; it makes your teeth move into a better position to make your smile look better.

After your dentist advises you not to wear Invisalign aligners, you have to wear a retainer to hold the teeth in place while the new bone deposits. For your teeth to stay in their position, you may have to wear your retainers for nine to twelve months as your body takes time to develop new bones. However, everyone is different, and you might have to wear your retainers for more than that or as directed by your dentist.

Can you stop wearing retainers after 12 months?