Invisalign vs Retainers

After a long journey with Invisalign to shift your teeth, you think your smile is finally ready, and you don’t need to do anything else. However, you will be surprised that you need to maintain these hard-earned results by wearing a new transparent tray. 

Despite the high similarity in appearance between an aligner and a retainer, they are totally different in their role. Let’s clear up this confusion, understand the core difference between Invisalign vs retainers, and discover when each one is actually used to get the maximum benefit from each. 

What is a dental retainer?

A dental retainer is a custom-made appliance, either a removable device or a fixed wire. They are designed to be worn over the teeth directly after finishing orthodontic treatment, whether with braces or Invisalign. Its primary purpose is to hold your teeth firmly in their new, perfect alignment, ensuring long-term preservation of results and preventing relapse. 

Types of Orthodontic Retainers 

Retainers generally come in two main forms: 

Removable retainer 

Meaning that the retainer is easily taken out and put back in by the patient. They typically come in two popular designs:

• Clear retainers, custom-made transparent vacuum-formed retainer sheets that fit securely over your new straightened teeth. 
• Hawley retainer: a traditional custom-made metal wire, consisting of an acrylic base combined with a labial metal wire with metal clasps to hold the retainer in its place. 

Fixed retainer

A specialized type of wire that is bonded securely by an orthodontist to the back surface of your front teeth, keeping them permanently locked in alignment without any possible movement. 

What does a dental retainer do for teeth?

After the active force of braces or Invisalign is removed. The teeth need more time for bone formation, remodeling, and stabilizing teeth in their correct, straight, new alignment, and at this time the role of retainers appears; they retain teeth in their new position, prevent any teeth shifting or relapse to their previous position, and preserve your result. 

You can use Invisalign for teeth gaps, in single tooth shifting and rotating, or even in multiple teeth crowding, like the case of crooked teeth. After fixing all that dental malocclusion, an orthodontist needs to “retain” and fix this position as it is till the surrounding bone and periodontal tissue accept this new position; it’s a complete biological and physical matter. The only device that will help retain the teeth in their position till the time comes is a dental retainer.

So patient compliance with wearing the dental retainer after getting off braces or the clear aligners is the most important factor to the success of the orthodontic treatment.

Retainers vs Invisalign: Are they the same? 

At first glance, they look almost identical since both are clear thermoplastic trays. However, they are totally different in terms of their material of fabrication and their medical purposes. 

While Invisalign is a clear aligner that is designed to apply an active, consistent, and steady force to gradually move your misaligned teeth.  In contrast, the retainer has a completely different job. It is simply designed to maintain the new position of teeth that have already been straightened.

Dental retainers risks and benefits

Benefits of teeth retainers

It’s important to know both benefits and possible risks of using the retainer to maximise your treatment experience and protect your result for decades. Let’s start with the benefits you will gain from using it: 

1. Result preservation: they are an essential complementary device to the orthodontic treatment. They preserve the time and cost you have already invested in the teeth-straightening process by holding your teeth firmly in their new position and preventing any further possible shifting.
2. Enhance oral health, as properly aligned teeth are much easier to brush, floss, and daily care routine. In addition to even force distribution, which in turn maintains your jaw health. 
3. Improved self-confidence: As long as you have a straight, flawless, natural smile, this will give you high confidence in social situations. 

Risks of teeth retainers

There are also possible risks, including the following: 

1. Temporary discomfort: at the first period of wearing the retainer, you may experience some sort of mild soreness or minor gum irritation. 
2. Hygiene challenges: improper care of dental retainers makes it a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to bad breath and increased risk of tooth decay.
3. Risk of Loss or Damage: especially in the removable options that can be easily misplaced or lost. So, discontinuing use of it, even for short periods of time, might lead to teeth shifting. 

Are retainers necessary after orthodontic treatment?

Yes, using tooth retainers after braces is mandatory thing. In fact, orthodontists consider the retention phase part of your treatment to maintain the result you get and prevent teeth from reverting to their original position. 

To put it simply, you should wear the retainer as long as you want your teeth straightened and well aligned.

How long should you wear a teeth retainer?

As removable dental retainers depend on patient commitment and compliance, you should wear the device full-time (20 to 22 hours daily) for the first 3 to 6 months after getting your braces off, removing it only to eat, drink anything besides water, and clean.

 After 3 – 6 months of continual wearing, you have to transition to wearing it every night while sleeping for long-term stability. 

Precautions of Wearing Orthodontic Retainers

• Retainers should not be loose: to wear a dental retainer safely and comfortably, always use your fingers to press it into place and never bite it down into your mouth. Biting a loose retainer can easily bend the metal wires or crack the clear plastic.
•  Expect feeling tightness: A tight fit means your teeth are attempting to shift, and the retainer is holding them straight. If it causes severe pain or fails to fit completely over your teeth, stop forcing it and call your orthodontist.
• Never eat or drink while wearing retainers: Food can break the plastic, hot beverages over time can affect the plastic tray, and dark or sugary drinks will get trapped inside the appliance, causing plaque accumulation and rapid tooth decay. Pure, cool water is the only exception
• Store it in its hard case: Whenever it is out of your mouth, place it directly in its protective case, and keep it away from toddlers and pets.
• Patient commitment: keep your new smile symmetrical and straight depending on how committed you are to wear you removable retainers.
• Don’t neglect your daily oral hygiene: keeping dental retainers for a long time on unwashed, unbrushed teeth can cause bad mouth odor, tooth cavities, gum inflammation, and gum bleeding on brushing (periodontitis).

How long do teeth retainers last?

Teeth retainers are made to be used for years, but that doesn’t mean they last a lifetime. Here are the key factors affecting their durability:

1. Wear time and daily usage, meaning the number of hours you use it, whether it’s full-time use or overnight use. In addition, the way you care for it can maintain it for years or accelerate its warpage. 
2. Life span of each device: Every type of retainer is designed to be used for a specific time. For instance, the fixed one can last for many years with proper care and caution. In contrast, removable clear retainers, which are constantly exposed to teeth grinding and minor flexing, frequent insertion, and removal, typically need to be replaced after a few years.

FAQs

Invisalign VS Retainers

Can I eat with retainers?

It mainly depends on the type of retainer you have. 
Removable retainer: You should take out the retainer when eating to avoid any physical damage, staining, or any food impaction.
Fixed retainer: If you have a fixed one, you can eat with it, but with caution about hard or sticky food to avoid any possible wire breaking, bending, or even unbonding from your teeth.

Can my teeth shift even if I wear a retainer?

Wearing your retainer consistently according to your orthodontist’s instructions is the best way to keep your smile aligned and prevent any teeth shifting. However, it’s important to know that teeth have a natural minor physiological movement over time due to aging. So, if you ever notice that your device feels ill-fitting, this could indicate that teeth shifting happens and you should visit your orthodontist as soon as possible.

Which retainer is best after braces?

The short answer is there is no single ‘best’ option. Depending on your case and lifestyle needs, your dentist will choose the most suitable option for you. In some cases, dentists might recommend either a fixed retainer or a removable one. Sometimes a combination of both is used. 

Are retainers safe for teeth?

Generally speaking, a teeth-straightening retainer is a completely safe device when used in the right way. For example, poor oral hygiene and lack of regular cleaning can lead to bacterial growth, bad breath, and even tooth decay. 

What age is too late for retainers?

Fortunately, it’s never too late to undergo orthodontic treatment and wear a subsequent dental retainer at any age to maintain your new smile. 

Can I go 2 hours without my retainer?

It depends mainly on the retention stage. In the initial stage of retention, you should wear the retainer full time and take it off only for eating, drinking, or cleaning. However, with time passing, your orthodontist will gradually transition to wearing it only at night. So, going 2 hours without your retainer is not recommended at the initial stage of retention. 

Why are retainers so expensive?

It’s a custom-made medical device created using advanced digital impressions and a high-tech scanner. They use durable, safe, and FDA-approved materials crafted by professional dental lab technicians to ensure a precise and well-fitted retainer tailored exclusively to your teeth. All of the factors above make teeth-retainer prices high.

Can I shower with my retainer in?

It may be safer to take it off if you take a very hot shower. To avoid any retainer warpage. 

How to sleep with retainers?

As it’s a lifelong commitment, you should make it a part of your nightly routine. Always wear it right after brushing and flossing your teeth before bed. It may take a little time to get used to sleeping with it.

Why do dentists not like permanent retainers?

While a permanent retainer has the unique advantage of keeping your teeth fixed and without any possibility of being misplaced. Some orthodontists prefer alternatives for the following reasons: a fixed wire acts as a food trap that makes it harder to floss and clean properly, which in turn will increase the risk of plaque accumulation and gum disease, especially for patients who struggle with consistent oral hygiene habits.

Can I leave my retainer in water all day?

Yes, you can leave your retainer in water when you aren’t wearing it to keep it clean. However, avoid using hot water as it can warp or distort it and affect its fit.