How long do I need to wear retainers?

One of the most common questions we are asked at Wade Orthodontics is: "How long will I have to wear retainers?"  The best two answers to that question are: 1) you should plan to wear your retainers indefinitely AND 2) you should wear retainers as long as you want your teeth to stay straight.  

A patient's teeth, once straightened, will never reach a point where they are permanently "set in stone" and incapable of moving or drifting.  Studies have shown that there will always be some risk of teeth relapsing.  The use of bonded or "glued-in" retainer wires will greatly reduce the risk of teeth relapsing, as will the consistent wearing of a removable retainer each night.  

So what does "indefinite" retainer wear mean?  At Wade Orthodontics, it means you should plan to keep retainers in place for as long as possible.  For many patients who have their teeth straightened during their teenage years, this means keeping retainers in place through the teens and hopefully into the twenties and beyond.  Unless there is a good reason to remove retainers (such as breakage, a new dental restoration, etc.) we recommend leaving retainers in place as long as possible.  Further questions?  Send us an email at [email protected].  Interested in orthodontic treatment?  Give Wade Orthodontics a call at (614) 878-7887.