After the completion of orthodontic treatment, retainers are routinely used to hold the teeth in their new positions. They may be fixed or removable (or a combination of both). The risk of teeth moving is always highest when the braces are first removed and diminishes gradually after that: however, the risk of relapse never becomes zero. In addition to the tendency for teeth to relapse, teeth also crowd with age throughout life, independent of any orthodontic correction. The corrected tooth positions are therefore subject to age changes and so some gradual movement will occur throughout life if retainers are not worn. We therefore advise that retainers are worn every night for a minimum of 12 months: if you want to be really safe, we recommend that you should wear your retainers for as long as you would like your teeth to stay straight (and your smile to carry on looking fantastic)!
Retainers: the anti-ageing device for your smile!
