In his 20 years of orthodontics, Dr. Patel has seen that the natural lifespan of a removable retainer is about 5-10 years before it shows signs of needing replacement. Permanent retainers can last decades if cared for properly.
If it's been over a decade since you've used the retainer, or your mouth has grown or your teeth have relapsed significantly, do not use an old retainer. Never try to force your old retainer in your mouth. This can not only damage your retainer, but damage your smile too.
We tell all of our patients that retainers will need to be replaced throughout life. They will not last forever, nor do we want them to and it is a natural and healthy process to replace them. Many people think that they are going to “outgrow” their retainer that they received at 14 years of age, but that is not true.
Permanent bonded retainer: This type of retainer is glued to the back of your teeth, either on the top or the bottom. If cared for properly, a bonded retainer could last for years. Some patients have been able to wear their permanent retainer for over 20 years, but there's no guarantee.
How Long Do You Have to Have a Permanent Retainer? Permanent retainers should ideally stay in place for life. As long as good oral hygiene is maintained, one can wear permanent retainers indefinitely without any concerns about cavities or gum problems.
Your retainers ensure that your teeth stay in the right place. Retainers keep your smile in place when active treatment is complete. Adults need to wear their retainers for life, but adolescents may be able to stop wearing them after about 10 years.
If you stop wearing your retainer, will your teeth move back? The answer is yes. Slowly, your teeth will move and shift back into the positions they were in before you went through orthodontic treatment. Remember, your teeth have a “memory” of where they used to be and will return there given the chance.
To maintain a straight smile for a lifetime, you're going to need to wear your retainers nightly for the rest of your life.
To make a long answer short, no. Because retainers in Glenpool aren't made to apply steady force over time in order to change the position of your teeth, they are not an ideal solution to realign them.
Can I wear my retainer after not wearing it for months or years? Don't even try to wear an old retainer if you haven't worn it for several months or years! You could cause more harm than good trying to refit it into your mouth. Your old retainer could become stuck, cause pain, or even damage your teeth and gums.
Nightly Wear
You should wear your retainers nightly for at least a year. After that, you can shift your wear to every other night or so. After a few years, most individuals choose to wear theirs at night around three to five times a week.
If a long time has passed since you've worn your retainer, the retainer has been damaged in any way, or it has to be forced into fitting your mouth, do not wear your old retainer. Doing so can result in a number of serious problems, including tooth and gum damage, pain, a stuck or broken retainer, or even infection.
If you've stopped wearing your retainer, the first thing you'll need to do is schedule an appointment with your orthodontist. Don't be embarrassed or feel guilty for letting it slip your mind, even the most perfect patients forget their retainer once in a while.
At Orthodontic Gallery our advice is, that you must wear your retainers for as long as you want straight teeth. Over time and with the addition of fixed bonded retainers you may wear your removable retainers less often. But, we will never advise you to stop wearing your retainers completely.
Try a paste of water and baking soda.
Make a mix of 50/50 water to baking soda — the mixture should be thick enough to stick to your retainer. Brush the paste inside and outside your retainer, then rinse off with cool or warm water. Make a fresh batch of baking soda/water paste every time you clean your retainer.
In most cases, a tight retainer won't damage your teeth or gums. You may experience some discomfort during your first few days of retainer treatment. However, your discomfort will likely go away after a few days. If things don't improve, or your pain worsens, you should talk to your orthodontist about your concerns.
A few weeks or a month: After a slightly longer period of a few weeks or a month, your retainer may not feel comfortable to wear. Call your orthodontist to see if it's safe to wear it. A few months or years: Don't even attempt to wear an old retainer if it's been several months or years!
Give Your Orthodontist a Call
If you've looked for a few hours and still can't find your retainer then you'll need to contact your orthodontist to get a new one. They'll make an appointment with you to either make a new mold of your teeth or to order a copy of your old ones if they still have your impression.
If you are no longer wearing your retainer but are experiencing grinding or clenching at night, your dentist may need to create a mouthguard for you to wear during sleep. The mouthguard will be made of a thin, plastic material similar to your retainer.
So, Can Retainers Realign Teeth? In short, the answer is no. While braces are designed to place just enough pressure to guide your teeth into the desired positions, retainers are meant to simply hold your teeth in place.
The results of the first studies, based on the movement of 30 teeth in 15 subjects over 84 days, have been summarized in a recent publication. 1 These results showed that the overall mean velocity of tooth movement was 3.8 mm/day, or about 1.1 mm/month.
While the retainer shouldn't rip your teeth out of your gums, it could cause them to become loose. That's due to the pressure they put on the teeth.
The replacement cost of your retainer depends on the type of retainer you chose to begin with, but these are the average costs of replacing different types of retainers: Hawley retainers: $150–$300. Clear plastic retainers: $100–$250. Permanent retainers: $250–$500.
The retainer's job is to simply keep teeth in their place, not to shift them back when they start to move. If you try to use your retainer to shift your teeth back into their position, it can be extremely uncomfortable and possibly cause damage to the teeth and jaw.
If you neglect to wear your retainer, your teeth may move back into their original position. This is what may happen if you do not wear your retainer after treatment with braces. Your teeth will begin to move back into their initial place as soon as your braces are removed.