Dentist Only Please* Do you have to wear a retainer forever?!

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In the majority of cases yes, a retainer needs to be worn for rest of your life. However as dreadful as that sounds, most only wear their retainers at night, so that that do not have to wear them during the day. It the beginning right after braces are removed you will need to wear the retainer quite often, this includes wear it during the day. Your orthodontists will tell you how long they feel this is necessary, as it can often be different depending on the individuals situation, and how long they had to wear braces. I hope that this answered your question.

Dentists 15+ years experience.

Although I am not a dentist, I am an orthodontic assistant for 20 years.

As long as you want your teeth to remain straight after braces, you need to wear some type of retainer. Just as everything else changes on your body, your eyes change and may need glasses, your hair continues to grow, your teeth have "memory". They want to move back to where they were most comfortable! This doesnt mean you need to wear your retainer EVERY day and night for the rest of your life.
As you wear it, you will continue to see the orthodontist. They will tell you when to start reducing the number of hours you wear it. For example: we tell our patients to wear their retainer full time for 3 months. Then after 3 months, you leave it out a few hours during the day. When you put your retainer in after school, if it feels tight on the teeth, you know they are trying to shift.
After a while, you gradually wear the retainer less and less. Eventually you may only wear it a couple nights a week.
Wearing your retainer is an important part of your treatment. After all, I am sure you want to keep the beautiful smile you and your orthodontist worked so hard to get!

Good luck!

I am an orthodontic assistant

I'm not a dentist but I just got my braces off. It depends on your orthodonist. For example if you get a perminent bottom retainer then most likely they will keep it in for 2-5 years. The flimsy retainers you'll have to wear all the time untill your orthodonists tell you only to wear them at night (usually about 5 months before they tell you that). I'm only suppose to be wearing my top retainer at night (I have bottum braces) but I'm too worried about my teeth moving. No one on *Yahoo answers* can tell you how long you have to wear it but I am 99% you wont have to wear them forever

Had top braces for 2 years and bottum braces still on :)

Im sorry, Im not a dentist but i recently asked mine the same question ( i currently have braces).
This is what he told me...

You have to wear your retainer after you remove the braces, day&night. But, after, my guess is a year, you are allowed to only wear it at nighttime.

'Forever' is an overreaction term, you just wear it untill adult hood, when you think your teeth are done moving around. This may take awhile. Your teeth will not stay perfect in adulthood without the retainer-but only a few teeth will shift.

I would recommend keeping the retainer till you at least get your wisdom teeth removed. Those little monsters can shift your teeth around if not removed soon enough.

Good Luck

No. Please talk to your own dentist about this to make sure, that in your situation, that would be what happens. Some don't even have to wear retainers. It just depends on the situation.

Yes for the rest of your life!

Dentist!