How Long Do I Have to Wear My Retainer?

You look in the mirror and a big smile spreads across your face. Why?

Because today marks the day that you’re done with your orthodontic treatment.

So naturally, you’re probably wondering: what are the next steps? How do I keep my smile looking this good, 10, 20, 50 years down the road.

Well, one of the single most important things you can do to protect your result is wear your retainer. Now a common follow up question to this is: how long will I have to wear a retainer? Is it temporary or do I have to wear my retainer forever?

The truth is that even after treatment, your teeth will want to shift. These forces are natural. The best way to prevent that movement from happening is a retainer.

In this blog, we’ll make sure we answer all of the questions you might have from how long do you have to wear a retainer to how long do retainers last to how often do you have to wear your retainer. So let’s get started!

Why Retainers Are Necessary in the First Place

Before we get into the timeline for wearing your retainer, let’s break down the reason why

wearing your retainer is so important.

Because after all, without truly understanding the “why” behind it, you’re bound to start

wondering things like when can I stop wearing my retainer? Or how long can I go without

wearing my retainer? And the reality is that not being consistent with your retainer wear can

have some real consequences for your smile. Here’s why:

When your braces come off or you complete your clear aligner treatment, your teeth aren’t fully

locked into their new positions. The bones and the ligaments surrounding your teeth are still

adapting to this new positioning, and are still applying forces to your teeth that can cause them

to shift. Your teeth naturally want to move back to their original positioning.

Your tool for preventing this from happening? A retainer!

Wearing retainers after braces or after clear aligners isn’t optional. It’s the device that’s going tokeep your new smile in place. Think about all that you’ve gone throughduring your orthodontic

treatment: the time, the effort, the investment....and now you have a beautiful smile! So protect

it! And as we’ll talk about in the next sections, wearing a retainer isn’t as bad as you might think.

How Long Do You Have to Wear Retainers After Braces or

Aligners?

So, how long do you wear a retainer after braces or clear aligners?

Retainer wear can really be broken down into two phases.

Phase I: Full-Time Wear

Every case is unique and after removing braces, how long you wear a retainer full-time depends

on a range of factors, including the complexity of your case. For example, if treatment required

significant bite correction or a lot of movement of your teeth, then a longer full-time retainer wear

period may be necessary. It can also depend on how your body responds to treatment.

Ultimately, this period lasts anywhere from a few months to a year, and “full-time” can be defined

as wearing your retainer around 20 to 22 hours per day. So, you’re probably thinking how long

can I leave my retainer out to eat? During this phase, it’s best to keep removal time under 2

hours per day. This will give your teeth the extra stability they need while all of the surrounding

bones and tissues settle into place.

Phase II: Night-time Wear

Once your orthodontist tells you it’s okay, you’ll transition from full-time wear to wearing your

retainer only at night.

From here, how long should retainers be worn after braces? You’ll wear your retainer

indefinitely, because your teeth are always going to want to shift.

So, should I wear my retainer every night? Yes. By wearing your retainer nightly, you’ll ensure

everything stays in place, and your smile stays looking great for years to come.

Are Retainers For Life?

Even after that explanation you’re probably wondering: do I really have to wear my retainer for

the rest of my life? Are retainers for life? Can I stop wearing my retainer after 2 years or so?

What happens if you stop wearing your retainer? Nothing, right?

Unfortunately, if you stop wearing your retainer, your teeth will inevitably shift. It might not be dramatic at first, but gradually the results you worked so hard to get will change for the worse.

So, if you want to keep your smile looking as beautiful as it does at the end of treatment, it’s

important to wear your retainer every night. Consistency is key!

And it’s really not as inconvenient as it sounds when you put it into perspective.

Putting Lifelong Retainer Wear Into Perspective

Wearing a retainer for life can feel intimidating at first, but once you make it a part of your

routine, it quickly becomes something you hardly even think about.

Do you stress about having to brush your teeth twice a day? Exactly, it’s just a part of life. Soon

wearing your retainer will just be part of what you do.

Plus, it’s not like you have to wear the retainer around during the day for the rest of your life.

You’re asleep when you’re wearing it! Ready to go to bed? Just pop it in and off to sleep you go.

Super easy!

How Long Can I Go Without Wearing My Retainer?

Oftentimes patients ask: what happens if I stop wearing my retainer for just a short time? How

long can I go without wearing my retainer?

It obviously depends on the individual, but even a few weeks of not wearing your retainer can

make it difficult to get it back on comfortably. This is because your teeth will begin to shift and

the longer you go without wearing it, the more movement there will be.

Important Note: If you’ve gone a while without wearing your retainer and it doesn't fit well

anymore, it’s important to reach out to your orthodontist. Your orthodontist will be able to

correctly determine the best path forward and see if your retainer needs to be re-made. If you

are able to force the retainer in and it feels tight but acceptable, then you can typically go back

to full-time wear for a few weeks, and the teeth will often return to where they were

before, depending on how long you went without wearing retainers and how much they moved.

How Long Do Retainers Last?

Something else that a lot of people wonder is how long do retainers last and how often should

retainers be replaced?

We’ve focused this blog primarily on removable retainers in order to highlight the importance of wearing your retainer consistently and getting into a good routine. But in actuality there are two

types of retainers: removable and permanent.

In the removable retainers bucket, there are two common models. Essix retainers (the clear

plastic type) and Hawley retainers (custom acrylic arch with metal wires that wrap around teeth).

A permanent retainer, on the other hand, is a thin wire bonded to the back of your front teeth.

Let’s break down how replacement timelines vary for these different models:

How long do clear retainers last?

Essix retainers typically last 1 to 3 years with proper care.

How long do Hawley retainers last?

A bit more durable than Essix retainers, these typically last 5 to 10 years.

How long does a permanent retainer last?

While the name might beg the question of do permanent retainers stay in forever? In reality, a

fixed or bonded retainer has a limited life span, and it is often difficult to predict how long it will

last. It could break off in less than a year, or it could last 10 to 20+ years. It’s important to have it

monitored during regular dental checkups to verify that it isn't becoming loose.

Regardless of the type of retainer you have, caring for your retainer properly can go a long way

in extending its life as long as possible.

Conclusion

So to answer the main question of the blog, how long are retainers worn for? The truth is, you’ll

be wearing them for the long haul.

But no need to stress, because once you’ve developed the habit, it’ll fit seamlessly into your

routine and come as second nature like all of the other little things you do on a daily basis.

Spending a few seconds before bed to pop in your retainers is a small price to pay to keep your

smile looking good for years to come!



If you haven’t started orthodontic treatment and are looking for an orthodontist in Bakersfield,

CA, or have any remaining questions about how long you have to wear a retainer, then reach

out to us, and we can help you out with your orthodontic needs.