I moved to a new state, because of a job transfer, during the last pair of aligners for my Invisalign treatment. I don’t think I need to find another dentist before finishing them, but will I need a retainer? Do I have to find a dentist right away for that? I’ve got so much on my plate with this move, I wondered if there was a way to get away without it?
Carol G.
Dear Carol,
Congratulations on both your new job and completing your Invisalign treatment. It has a high patient satisfaction rate. As a result, you do not want to sabotage the results by not wearing a retainer. Your teeth aren’t quite used to their correct position yet. If you don’t train them, they will begin to shift. Fortunately, you won’t have to find another dentist at this stage. Your final Invisalign aligners can double as a retainer for you.
How to Wean Off Your Invisalign as a Retainer
Step One:
Start by wearing them, except for meals for one month. After that time period you start backing off.
Step Two:
After one month, you can wear them just at night only for an additional month.
Step Three:
Once you’ve done that you can try only wearing them every other night. If you find when you go to put back on the aligner after two days it is a little more difficult to put back on, you’ll need to go back to every night for another month and then try again. If they’re fine, move on to step four.
Step Four:
When ready, you can gradually back off to once a week or so for a while. Don’t get rid of the aligners though. Keep them around in case the teeth begin to shift.
Getting a Mini Smile Makeover with Your Invisalign Aligners
There is another lovely benefit to keeping your aligners. Even while using them as a retainer, they can also double as teeth whitening trays. Simply ask a dentist for some teeth whitening gel after your next cleaning and you’ll be able to whiten your teeth while doing your treatment.
This blog is brought to you by Decatur, AL Dentists Drs. Drake and Wallace.