Is wearing your retainer 24/7 really necessary?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

If your orthodontist has told you to wear it the whole time, then do so. I have a retainer which I have to wear all the time - I've had it for about 3 months. The only time it is taken out is when I brush my teeth at night, and in the morning. It might be annoying at first, but you will find constantly taking it out and putting it back in again even more annoying. I don't even notice my retainer anymore.
I have a friend who is in the same situation as me with her teeth. She has a retainer. However she wears it very irregularly - she may wear it one night, and then take it out for the day, and then not wear it for a week. She's had her retainer for 7 months now, and this is because she is constantly messing with it. Whereas my retainer is due out in 2 weeks.
My advice is to keep your retainer in all the time, until further instruced by your orphodontist.

Wearing it 24/7 is necessary until your orthodontist tells you otherwise. If you don't follow his instructions, your teeth will move and you will need braces again. It's not like a chance thing, your teeth WILL move if you don't wear your retainer properly. Of course you can take them out to eat. It would be disgusting if you didn't because food would get stuck between the roof of your mouth and the retainer. You should also remove them for brushing your teeth, but just remember to put them back in right away once you're done eating and brushing. Eventually you will only have to wear them 12 hours a day, but your orthodontist will tell you when it's okay to do that.