First 3–6 Months After Orthodontic Treatment
After completing your orthodontic treatment, it’s essential to wear your retainers full-time (day and night) for the first three months. Only remove them when eating, brushing, or flossing. After this initial period, transition to wearing your retainers only at night.
Nightly wear must continue indefinitely to maintain your smile. If you stop wearing your retainers every night, your teeth will begin to shift, and the retainers may no longer fit properly.
Retainer Lifespan and Wear
Retainers typically last up to two years, but they can stretch sooner—especially during the initial three-month full-time wear period. Most people unknowingly grind or clench their teeth, which is a common cause of retainer wear. In fact, over 85% of people do this without realizing it. Other factors, like inconsistent wear or improper handling, can also cause retainers to lose their shape prematurely, resulting in unwanted tooth movement even if you’re wearing them regularly.
Cleaning Your Retainers
You’re welcome to bring your retainers in for a professional cleaning during your regular dental visits. We’re happy to help keep them in great shape!
Check Every 6 Months
Every six months, try on a backup or duplicate set of retainers. If the new set feels significantly tighter, that’s a sign your current retainer has stretched and it’s time to switch to a new set before your teeth shift permanently.
If you only have one set of retainers, you may not realize your teeth have shifted until it’s too late. At that point, a new set will only prevent further movement—it won’t return your teeth to your original post-treatment alignment.
To avoid this risk, we recommend choosing Vivera Retainers, which come with four sets and have your digital scan stored on file for easy reordering (future sets not included).
When to Order More Retainers
If you’re currently using a single set and want to upgrade to the protection of multiple retainers, contact us to schedule a digital scan for Vivera.
Already a Vivera user? Let us know when you start using your last set so we can reorder your next batch. As long as there’s been no major dental work and you’ve been following instructions, a new scan likely won’t be needed.
Dr. Costa
Dr. Malone
Dr. Wolkow
Knoxville Smiles at Malone & Costa Dentistry offers a unique dental care experience to our patients in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the surrounding areas. The crew is committed to protecting and increasing the natural beauty of your smile by employing conservative, cutting-edge techniques that result in attractive, long-lasting smiles!
Our dedicated and experienced team of doctors includes Dr. Stephen Malone, D.M.D., University of Louisville, and Dr. Michael Costa, D.D.S., UNC School of Dentistry, M.H.A., UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health in Chapel Hill, NC. They are firm believers in continuing education to provide their patients with the finest possible care.
Drs. Costa and Malone see their patients as real partners in their service. Our team is committed to making your dental care journey as pleasant as possible.
