The short answer is no. They don't apply the steady force over time needed to make major changes to your teeth' position. Instead, they simply hold your teeth in place. That being said, that can help make minor adjustments to the position of your teeth and bite.
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.
In most cases, wearing an old retainer can realign your smile so long as your teeth have not shifted into an entirely new position. As a rule of thumb, wearing an old retainer should not be an issue so long as it still fits without needing to apply any force while inserting it over your teeth.
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.
For patients who had severe misalignments, you may need to wear your retainer consistently for 6 months or so to prevent orthodontic relapse. Some people may need to wear their retainer 24 hours a day for up to 4 months, while other people may be advised to wear theirs full-time for 8 to 10 months.
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.
The First 2 Years: After your initial time of full-time wear, you will be able to start wearing your retainers during sleep only. From the Third Year to the Rest of Your Life: Now, you can wear your retainers a little bit less. Skipping an occasional night or two is no big deal.
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.
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.
Should I still wear my retainers even if it hurts? Slight pain or discomfort caused by wearing your retainers is normal as they work to prevent your teeth from shifting. If you experience these sensations, you're advised to continue wearing them.
You shouldn't start wearing your retainer right away if you haven't worn it for a month or longer. You run the risk of hurting yourself if you try to push your retainer in forcefully. Your teeth could have already started to move back to their natural positions.
If you have minor dental issues, your dentist will initially suggest wearing retainers full-time for 2-3 months. But you might have to wear your retainers for over 6 months if you have severe dental problems. However, the good news is that you do not have to wear your retainers forever.
Failing to wear your retainer can have some unintended side effects that are not very pleasant. If your retainers feel tight every night, it could be due to shifting and slight movements of the teeth during the day when they're retainer-free.
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.
Your teeth have an elastic memory and will always want to return to their original placement. If your teeth are moving with a retainer, it may be because you aren't wearing it enough. Stick to a strict nightly routine and wear your retainer every night to keep your teeth in place.
After six months is a good rule of thumb to follow, but it could also be sooner, depending on how well you take care of them. What's important is to get them replaced as soon as they get damaged or when they no longer fit properly.
In particular, plastic retainers can last for 4-5 years if you take proper care of them. Understanding that your oral hygiene routine plays a key role in keeping your retainers up-to-date is vital. Plastic retainers are custom-made, just like your Invisalign.
If you go a month without wearing retainers, it's possible your bite may begin to change. Orthodontic Experts' doctors say your overbite and overjet may start to increase. Your retainers will most likely be tight if you go a week without wearing them (and even tighter if you go a month without wearing them).
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.
If you skip or lose your retainer for a week, it's possible to have some small amount of relapse. Like we said earlier, teeth can move back to their original positions without a retainer to provide guidance and pressure.
You should expect to notice minor shifts in your teeth approximately 4 weeks from after bonding. Greater shifts that are more visible require more time as they become noticeable after approximately 2-3 months.
A retainer that doesn't fit, or is snug and uncomfortable, after not being worn for a while means your teeth have shifted. The longer you go without wearing your retainer, the more likely it is that your bone tissue has grown to support the new position of your teeth.
If you force it into place, it could become stuck, damage your teeth, and cause problems for your roots and jaw. Instead, make an appointment with an orthodontist. They may be able to adjust your old retainer, or you may need to get a new one altogether.
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.
This is false: adult teeth do and can shift over time, whether or not you had braces as a teenager or child. So yes, teeth move overnight, though the change might be imperceptible at first. Regardless of dental decay or bad habits, our teeth usually shift over time, resulting in gaps, misalignment, and crookedness.