After adult orthodontics, do I have to wear a retainer for life?

After adult orthodontics, do I have to wear a retainer for life?

Wearing a retainer is a very important part of orthodontic treatment. For adult orthodontics, doctors generally recommend "lifelong maintenance".

The principle of the retainer

At the end of orthodontic treatment, the tooth movement is complete, but the reconstruction of the alveolar bone has not been completed at this time, and it is in a state of rapid metabolism. The imbalance of the internal and external environment of the oral cavity, the reconstruction of gingival fibers and other factors will cause the position of the teeth to change. A brace ensures that the teeth stay in their best position at the time.

Why "keep it for life"

Teeth have memory, and will slowly bounce back to their original position without external force. Although the state of rapid metabolism will end within 1 to 2 years, the position of teeth will also change slowly over time, so The current view on wearing retainers is "lifetime maintenance".

Of course, you don’t have to be too nervous when you hear lifelong maintenance. The specific implementation of this concept is:

The first year: to be worn 24 hours a day,

Second year: night wear,

After the second year: wear every three to five nights.

How to choose a retainer?

1. Transparent retainer

Transparent and colorless, with high aesthetics, it wraps the teeth like braces and keeps the teeth in the position after the treatment.

2. Harley retainer

The Harley retainer is an adjustable, detachable and wearable retainer with the feature of active reinforcement. For the situation where the posterior occlusion is not tight enough at the end of orthodontics, after wearing the Harley retainer for a period of time, the posterior occlusion will generally be smooth. Can be built more tightly.

3. Lingual side retaining wire

A retainer that sticks to the back of the teeth has a certain invisible effect. The front teeth are the most prone to recurrence. Generally, doctors will advise patients to stick retainers on the lingual side of the front teeth to prevent the teeth from resetting. The lingual retainer is not easy to clean, so when wearing the lingual retainer, you should pay great attention to the cleaning of your mouth, and it is recommended to wash your teeth regularly.