You are on the cusp of getting your braces off. You are excited about your new smile, but are even more excited that you will no longer have to live with something pushing, pulling, and causing pain to your teeth.

Your days of teeth straightening aren’t over just yet. See, after those braces come off, you are going to have to wear a teeth retainer. Retainers are not optional — at least not if you want to maintain all the work that your braces just did. Wondering why it is important to wear your retainer after braces? 

To understand the need for retainers, you must first understand what braces do to the teeth. To put it simply, braces entirely alter the structure of the teeth and their surrounding components. Not only do they alter the tendons which are attached to the teeth but the jawbone and the soft tissue as well.

The problem is, once they have been removed, braces can no longer maintain the changes that they initially created. As such, these changes have the potential to reverse to their original state. People used to think that when their dental braces came off that their teeth would stay that straight forever. However, in the last twenty years or so, research has shown that there isn’t one right position to move teeth that will guarantee a permanent result. Typically as people get older, their teeth shift no matter what, whether they have had orthodontic treatment or not.

Usually when your treatment ends, your teeth will have a natural tendency to move back to their original positions before you started treatment. This tendency lessens over time, but it can be an issue for up to 18 months post-treatment.

There is also another type of movement that is a much slower, longer lasting change that occurs over time. This is more than likely due to the gradual “uprighting” movement of the front teeth on the lower jaw. This occurs naturally with age, but this can cause teeth to crowd as they move closer to the tongue.

Undergoing orthodontic treatment will fix crooked teeth, but it won’t prevent these changes from occurring. The only guaranteed way to keep your teeth from shifting is by using an invisible retainer to keep them in the right position.

Invisible Teeth Retainer is simply a plastic or metal appliance that keeps teeth aligned after a patient has completed orthodontic treatment with braces or Invisalign. By using retainers, the teeth are literally being “retained” in their new position. You should not wear your teeth retainer when you are eating because it will cause the plastic to crack. 

Take it out if you are going to drink hot coffee or tea. To insert or remove your custom invisible retainer, use both hands and push on or pull off evenly with your thumb and index finger. It may take several days for your tongue to get used to your teeth retainer and then your speech will return to normal.

You can order your custom Invisible Teeth Retainer online at a fraction of the cost of going to the dentist. Invisible teeth retainers are made using high-grade material. Order online and take your teeth impression at home to get your customized invisible retainers online straight at your doorstep.