"Keep wearing the retainers"
Almost all dentists have to say to patients who have finished from braces 
But SmileCode found Many patients have such doubts: 
"The teeth are neat and beautiful. Is it really necessary to wear a retainer?" 
"It's already hard to wear braces. Why should you wear a retainer when you're done?"
It shouldn't matter if you don't wear it!" 

In fact

The retainer is very important during the whole process! 

 Why do we say that?

01

Tooth growth is memorable, ive it up may cause your teeth to "rebound"

We all know 

The braces will apply a constant force to the teeth during the orthodontic process 

Squeezed cells produce "osteoclasts" 

Alveolar bone that slowly absorbs the pressure zone 

The opposite negative pressure zone produces "osteoblasts" and grow new alveolar bone 

However, teeth are born with memory and move around for life, although it took a long time to move the teeth to a new position 

But compared to decades of growth stereotypes, teeth-related bones and muscle tissue are trivial 

Once the brace control is released, it's like pulling rubber bands and loosening your hands 

The natural memory will make it return to the previous trajectory

To prevent malformations from recurring or rebounding,

You need a retainer to keep the teeth in their new position until the new alveolar bone grows strong

That ’s why the dentist said, “Wear the retainers”

02

So, how long does the retainers need to be worn?

This question is for every patient who wear braces. 

In general 

The doctor recommends wearing it for as long as possible 

Generally recommended:

For the first year, wear it every day and night (remove during meals)

For the second year, wear it every night

In the third year, gradually reduce the wearing time, such as 2 to 3 nights a week

It is worth noting:

Once found, due to prolonged wearing time 

Wearing the holder is particularly tight 

Then you can't shorten the time, you need to keep the current frequency.

03

Many people say that the retainers need to be worn for life 

Is that true?

There is no conclusion as to how long the retainer will last 

Because the severity of the abnormal occlusion varies from patient to patient 

The design of the holder and how long it is worn will vary from person to person 

So it really depends on the condition of your own teeth!

Do you see the role of the retainer here? 

Retainer and braces are equally important during orthodontics 

If you want to keep a confident smile all the time 

Always follow your doctor's advice and wear the retainer strictly.