You've invested time, effort, and money into achieving your perfect smile with Invisalign treatment. Now comes the crucial phase that many patients underestimate: retention. At Lancashire Smiles in Kirkham, we frequently meet patients from Preston, Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, and across the Fylde who are surprised to learn that retainers aren't just optional accessories, they're absolutely essential for maintaining your new confident smile.
If you're considering teeth straightening or nearing the end of your Invisalign journey, understanding retainers is crucial for protecting your investment and ensuring your smile stays perfect for years to come.
Why Retainers Are Non-Negotiable After Invisalign
Many people assume that once their Invisalign treatment is complete, their teeth will simply stay in their new positions. Unfortunately, this isn't how our teeth work. Teeth have a natural tendency to move throughout our lives, and this movement becomes more pronounced after orthodontic treatment.
During your Invisalign journey, we've gradually shifted your teeth into their ideal positions. However, the bone and ligaments around your teeth need time to stabilise and adapt to these new positions. Without proper retention, your teeth will naturally drift back towards their original positions, a process called orthodontic relapse.
Research shows that without retention, teeth tend to return to their original position, a condition called relapse, and studies have found that most changes occur within the first year, mainly caused by the "memory" of fibres. This means that months of careful Invisalign treatment could be compromised without proper retention protocols.
At Lancashire Smiles, we discuss retention planning before your Invisalign treatment even begins because it's such a critical component of successful teeth straightening. We want our patients across Preston and the Fylde to understand that retainers aren't an afterthought, they're an integral part of achieving and maintaining your perfect smile.
The Two Types of Retainers: Removable and Fixed Options
At Lancashire Smiles, we provide two main types of retainers, each serving specific purposes in maintaining your straight smile. Understanding both options helps you make informed decisions about your retention plan.
Removable Retainers: Your Nightly Protection
Removable retainers are clear, custom-made appliances that fit over your teeth, similar in appearance to your Invisalign aligners but designed specifically for retention rather than movement. At Lancashire Smiles, we take a scan of your teeth to create precisely fitting removable retainers that are comfortable and effective.
Future proof your new smile with spare Removable Retainers:
Every patient who completes Invisalign treatment with us receives three sets of upper and lower removable retainers. This isn't just generous, it's strategic. We've learned that one of the biggest causes of orthodontic relapse is the delay between losing or damaging retainers and getting replacements made.
Picture this scenario: You're on holiday in Spain, and you accidentally throw your retainer away with your breakfast napkin. Without backup retainers, you're looking at potentially weeks without retention while new ones are manufactured. During this time, your teeth can begin shifting, particularly in the first few years after Invisalign treatment when they're still settling into their new positions. Our three sets eliminate this risk. You'll always have spares at home, and many of our patients keep one set at work or in their gym bag for added convenience.
The Three-Year Retention Schedule:
We recommend changing your removable retainers annually for the first three years after completing Invisalign treatment. This schedule serves multiple purposes:
- Year One: Your teeth are still settling into their new positions, making this the highest-risk period for relapse. Fresh retainers ensure optimal fit and retention force.
- Year Two: While more stable than year one, your teeth still benefit from fresh retainers to maintain their positions as the surrounding bone continues to remodel.
- Year Three: By this point, your teeth are much more stable, but fresh retainers provide continued protection and peace of mind.
After three years, we'll review your retention needs. Many patients find their teeth remain stable with continued nightly wear of their existing retainers, while others may need new retainers to be made.
Fixed (Bonded) Retainers: Permanent Protection
Fixed retainers, also called bonded retainers, are thin wires that are permanently attached to the back surfaces of your teeth. At Lancashire Smiles, we place bonded retainers on both upper and lower teeth when clinically indicated, providing 24/7 protection against tooth movement for your front teeth.
When We Recommend Bonded Retainers:
Bonded retainers aren't suitable for everyone, but they're particularly beneficial in specific situations:
- After Gap Closure: If your Invisalign treatment involved closing significant gaps between teeth, bonded retainers help prevent these spaces from reopening. Gaps have a particular tendency to reopen.
- Severely Crowded Teeth: If you started with severely crowded or crooked teeth, bonded retainers provide extra security against relapse. The more movement your teeth have undergone, the greater their tendency to return to their original positions.
- High-Risk Cases: Some patients have particular habits like tongue thrusting that create ongoing pressure on teeth. Bonded retainers provide constant resistance against these forces.
The Bonded Retainer Process:
Bonded retainers are placed during a separate appointment after your teeth have reached their final positions. The process is comfortable and typically takes about 20 minutes per arch (upper or lower jaw).
Using precise digital measurements from your iTero scans, we create custom-fit wires that follow the contours of your teeth perfectly. The wire is then bonded to the back surfaces of your teeth using the same advanced dental adhesives used for other procedures.
After placement, we provide detailed demonstrations of how to clean around your bonded retainers effectively. This education is crucial because proper maintenance ensures your retainers can last for many years without issues.
Caring for Your Bonded Retainers: Essential Maintenance
One common concern we hear from patients in Preston and across Lancashire is whether bonded retainers will affect their daily lives. The good news is that bonded retainers don't impact speech or eating once you're accustomed to them (usually within a few days).
However, bonded retainers do require specific cleaning techniques:
Daily Cleaning Routine:
- Interdental Brushes: Regular dental floss can't navigate around the bonded wire, so interdental brushes become essential. These small, cone-shaped brushes can clean between your teeth and around the retainer wire effectively.
- Water Flosser: Water flossers can also help clean around bonded retainers, though interdental brushes are typically more effective.
- Regular Brushing: Continue brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, paying extra attention to the areas around your bonded retainers.
Professional Maintenance:
Regular dental hygiene appointments become even more important with bonded retainers. Our hygienist team in Kirkham has extensive experience cleaning around orthodontic appliances and can ensure your gums stay healthy.
We also provide a one-year warranty on all bonded retainers. If your bonded retainer becomes loose or breaks within the first year, we'll repair or replace it at no additional cost. This warranty reflects our confidence in our bonded retainer work and provides peace of mind for our patients.
The Lancashire Smiles Advantage: Retainers Included
One significant advantage of choosing Lancashire Smiles for your Invisalign treatment is what we include in our Invisalign packages. Unlike many dental practices across Preston and Lancashire that charge retainers as additional costs, all our Invisalign packages include your retainers.
When you invest £350 for three sets of upper and lower removable retainers as a standalone service, you're getting exceptional value. However, when you complete your entire Invisalign journey with us, your retainers are included in your treatment cost, providing significant savings and peace of mind.
This inclusive approach reflects our philosophy that retention isn't optional, it's an integral part of successful orthodontic treatment. We don't want cost to be a barrier to proper retention, which is why we include everything you need to maintain your perfect smile.
How Long Do You Really Need to Wear Retainers?
This is perhaps the most common question we receive from patients across the Fylde. The honest answer is that retention is typically a lifelong commitment, but the intensity decreases significantly over time.
The First Year: Nightly wear of removable retainers is essential. This is when your teeth are most likely to shift, particularly in the first few months after completing active treatment.
Years Two and Three: Continue nightly wear, but your teeth are becoming more stable. The annual retainer changes help ensure optimal fit and retention.
Beyond Three Years: Many patients can transition to every-other-night wear or even less frequent wear, depending on their individual stability. However, some degree of retention is typically recommended indefinitely.
Bonded Retainers: These provide continuous retention for as long as they remain in place. With proper care, bonded retainers can last many years without needing replacement.
Signs Your Retainers Need Attention
Regular monitoring of your retainers ensures they continue providing effective protection. Contact Lancashire Smiles if you notice:
- Removable Retainers: Cracks, tears, or areas where the plastic appears thin. If your retainer feels loose or tight, this could indicate either retainer wear or slight tooth movement.
- Bonded Retainers: Any looseness, roughness, or irritation around the bonded areas. If you can move the wire with your tongue, contact us immediately for evaluation.
- Both Types: Any discomfort that persists beyond the first few days of wearing new retainers.
The Cost of Skipping Retainers: Why Prevention Beats Correction
Some patients consider avoiding retainer wear or wearing them inconsistently. However, the cost of treating orthodontic relapse far exceeds the investment in proper retention.
If your teeth shift significantly after Invisalign treatment, you may need additional orthodontic treatment to correct the movement. This could involve partial or complete re-treatment with Invisalign, which costs significantly more than maintaining your results with retainers.
Additionally, the emotional cost of watching your perfect smile deteriorate can be significant, particularly for our professional patients who chose Invisalign to enhance their confidence in the workplace and social situations.
Technology Makes the Difference: iTero Digital Scanning
At Lancashire Smiles, we use advanced iTero digital scanning technology for all our retainer fabrication. This technology provides several advantages over traditional impression methods:
Precision: Digital scans capture exact measurements of your teeth and bite relationship, ensuring perfectly fitting retainers that are comfortable and effective.
Comfort: No messy impression materials or gagging, just a quick digital scan that takes minutes to complete.
Efficiency: Digital scans can be sent immediately to our laboratory partners, reducing the time between your final Invisalign appointment and receiving your retainers.
Quality Control: Digital scans can be reviewed and adjusted before fabrication begins, ensuring optimal results.
Life After Invisalign: Maintaining Your Investment
Completing Invisalign treatment is an achievement worth celebrating, but it's also the beginning of your retention journey. The habits you establish in your first few months post-treatment often determine your long-term success.
At Lancashire Smiles, we support our patients throughout their retention journey. Whether you're adjusting to your new retainers, have questions about cleaning techniques, or need evaluation of your retention appliances, our team is here to help.
We also love hearing from our patients about their experiences. Many of our Invisalign success stories include testimonials about how proper retention has helped them maintain their beautiful smiles years after treatment completion. These success stories inspire new patients and demonstrate the long-term value of comprehensive orthodontic care.
Ready to Protect Your Perfect Smile?
If you're considering Invisalign treatment or approaching the end of your current orthodontic journey, now is the perfect time to discuss retention planning. At Lancashire Smiles in Kirkham, we're committed to helping patients from Preston, Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, and across the Fylde achieve and maintain beautiful, straight smiles.
Our comprehensive approach includes everything you need for successful retention: advanced iTero scanning technology, high-quality removable and bonded retainers, thorough education about maintenance and care, and ongoing support throughout your retention journey.
Don't let your Invisalign investment go to waste. Contact Lancashire Smiles today to schedule your retention consultation and learn more about how our retainer process can keep your smile perfect for years to come.
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Ready to Straighten Your Teeth with Invisalign?
If you are ready to transform your smile, we are here to help. At Lancashire Smiles, we are a team of experienced and passionate cosmetic dentists who can help you achieve your dream smile. We also offer flexible payment plans and financing options to make your treatment affordable and accessible.
To book your consultation, you can call us on 01772 342929, email us at smiles@lancashiresmiles.co.uk, or fill out our online smile assessment form. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you smile with confidence.
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