Will my teeth stay straight forever?
This is a question many of you will ask yourselves before considering clear aligner treatment.
The answer is yes, but with lifelong retention.
What does that mean?
Teeth that are shifted to a desired position using clear aligners will need to be maintained in that position wearing clear retainers at night. Right after the treatment, retainers should be worn every single night in order for your teeth and ligaments to adjust to these new positions. After about 6 months, retainers can be worn 3 nights a week just to hold teeth in the desired position. Retainers are like clear aligners but made with a material that’s a bit thicker and therefore more resistant. They are sent to you at the end of your treatment and can be re-ordered on our website when needed.
Teeth and their ligaments have a memory and will have a tendency to come back to their original position if retainers are not worn regularly. This is why a lot of people have crocked teeth even after they’ve had full orthodontic treatments with braces. Orthodontic wires glued to the back of your front teeth will help hold them into place but cannot be used on everyone. Often, they can be placed on the lower front teeth but not on the upper because of the space available when you bite down. Also, it is complicated to floss with a retention ortho wire and a lot more tartar will accumulate around them. This is why we recommend wearing retainers.
As you can see, it is very possible to keep your teeth forever straight after a clear aligner treatment, but it really depends on you. The most important thing you can do is wear your retainers, giving your smile the chance to “set” into place and protecting it for the long term.
