Preserving Your Invisalign® Smile for Life: All About Orthodontic Retention

Congratulations! You’ve got yourself a terrific new smile thanks to the wonders of Invisalign®. Teeth straightening with clear aligners typically yields results faster than with traditional braces, but if you’re not careful, all that work can end up for nothing.

At Lancaster Dental Care Associates in Lancaster, California, cosmetic and family dentist Kamran Saidara, DDS, and his team offer Invisalign guidance, treatment, and support throughout your teeth straightening journey.

How teeth straightening works

Both traditional orthodontic braces and Invisalign systems work by exerting constant, low-level pressure on your teeth. This process literally moves your teeth through the bone of your jaw very, very slowly.

Invisalign applies the most pressure to the top parts of your teeth, causing them to move the fastest. The roots of your teeth move slower. Once your smile looks perfect above the gums, the roots can still be shifting, where you can’t see below the gumline.

If you stop applying pressure and your roots aren’t in position yet, your teeth can fall back out of alignment. All of the time and money spent to get your new smile can be undone slowly. That’s why Dr. Saidara gives you a retainer to wear after you wear braces or have Invisalign treatment.

Orthodontic retention

Your retainer works to keep your teeth firmly in place after your orthodontic treatment is finished. The teeth retainer can be fixed or removable, and keeps pressure on your teeth to ensure orthodontic retention.

If your teeth were severely crooked and required a long time in braces or extreme pressure to get them into place, you may need a fixed retainer to stay in for several years. Dr. Saidara talks to you about caring for your teeth and your retainer. You also learn information, such as when and how long you’ll need to wear yours.

If your orthodontic treatment was mild, you may only need a removable retainer. This can look a lot like a final set of Invisalign aligners, and you only have to wear them at night while you sleep for a while. We can show you how to clean and store your retainer.

Some people who undergo extreme orthodontic treatment find that orthodontic retention is difficult to maintain. If you fall into this category, you might need to wear a fixed retainer for a time, then switch to a removable retainer that you wear every night permanently. 

To learn more about teeth straightening, or to schedule an appointment, call our office at 661-215-8130 or request an appointment online today at Lancaster Dental Care Associates.