Important Notes:
● Continue to wear your final aligner for 22 hours/day until you receive your retainers.
● You can use teeth whitening gel in your final aligner to whiten your teeth, make sure to clean aligner well after whitening treatment and put it right back in.
● When you receive your retainers, it is recommended to wear them for 22 hours a day for the first 3 months just like you did your aligners
● After the first 3 months, you can go to night-time only wear of your retainers.
● Retainers are a lifetime commitment. If you stop wearing your retainers your teeth will shift!
● We recommend you call us when you are on your last retainer so more can be ordered.
● Keep up with regular dental visits/cleanings. If you need dental work (crowns/fillings) your retainer may not fit and new ones may need to be ordered.
While waiting for retainers:
You must continue to wear your final Invisalign aligner 22 hours a day while waiting for your retainers. If you stop wearing your aligner your teeth may shift prior to receiving your retainers and you may have to re-enter treatment. This could incur additional costs related to treatment.
Teeth Whitening:
While waiting for your retainers, you can use teeth whitening gel in your final aligners. Make sure to rinse aligners well after whitening and put them right back in. Do not overfill trays, you only need a thin layer of whitening material covering the front part of your front teeth.
First 3 months of Retainer Wear:
When you first receive your retainers, you should wear them 22 hours/day for the first four weeks. For that first month, treat your retainers just like you did your invisalign aligners. This is important as new bone is still forming around your teeth in their new position. If you wear your retainers for less than 22 hours/day the first month your teeth may shift out of position.
Fourth month of Retainer Wear and Beyond:
After one month of full time wear, you can start doing night-time only wear of your retainers. At this point the new bone should be set and 7-8 hours of daily night time wear should be enough to keep your teeth in place. Retainer wear is a lifetime commitment. If you stop wearing your retainers at any point your teeth will shift. The retainers also serve as a nightguard and will prevent tooth wear from night time grinding!
Last set of retainers:
We recommend you call us when you are down to your last set of retainers so we can order more for you. You don’t want to run out of retainers for an extended period of time or your teeth will shift.
Keep up with Regular Dental Cleanings/Exams:
After finishing Invisalign Treatment, it is important to keep up with regular dental cleanings/exams to prevent new cavities. If you need to have dental work done (fillings/crowns) your retainers may no longer fit and new ones may need to be purchased.
Cleaning your retainers:
You can clean your aligners with your toothbrush and toothpaste or an electric toothbrush. Invisalign sells Aligner Cleaning Crystals (www.invisalign.com). You can also use a denture foam. Do not use denture cleaner that has any colored mouthwash in it. The aligners tend to absorb the color. Do not soak them in colored mouthwash. Never put the aligners in hot water! It will distort the plastic or melt them.
How to Contact Us
During Office Hours (Most Mondays-Fridays) – Call: (780) 987 1046
Email: [email protected]
