Initially, full-time wear of your retainers is critical because the bone and muscles are adjusting to the new positions of your teeth. You must wear your retainers essentially for 24 hours a day for the first 6 months and only remove them for eating, drinking and cleaning. Then you would have to wear them every night for another 6 months.
In the long term, it is advisable that you continue to wear your retainers for at least 2 nights or more a week forever! If you do not follow this instruction, there is no guarantee that your teeth will remain beautifully straight. The responsibility is yours!
Where to store and keep retainers clean?
Once you have been given your retainers, it is best to buy a retainer box for you to keep them in when you are not using them. Never wrap them up in tissue, as they could potentially get lost! If you have a pet dog, you must place them out of reach as, believe it or not, they like the smell of them and tend to chew it! When cleaning your retainers at night, you must clean them gently with a small soft toothbrush and cold water! Or you could buy a product called retainer brite, which is available at the practice.
