Invisalign???

ill be done with my invisalign treatment next week and i was wondering if i will have to get a retainer after that. if so how long will i have to wear it?

Invisalign???
I am a general dentist and it has been a while since I have been to school but I did take an invisalign class a couple of years ago. From what I remember, every case will have to have some type of retainer initially. Teeth have a memory in the Periodontal Ligament Fibers that hold the teeth to the bone. When you move the teeth, you stretch some of these fibers, and like a ruber band, when the force is no longer there, they have a memory and want to return to the original position. After some time, most people will be able to take the retainer off with out a problem. If there is a problem, then you should notice by your retainer not fitting and you should go have another retainer to hold them in place. If the movement forever wants to go back to the position that they started in, then there is a proceedure that is called a suprecrestal transfiberotomy that is basically going in a cutting the fibers so that they lose their memory.
Reply:Yes you will need a retainer and you will need to wear it pretty much permanently. Teeth seem to have a memory and will shift back to their original position if they aren't held steady at the new location. I have lingual bars cemented on both the upper and lower front teeth. A bit of a pain when it comes to flossing so now I am using GUM Soft Picks to keep the gumline healthy. Soft Picks are a bit like toothpicks but better than just insert between your teeth at the gum line to remove plaque etc.
Reply:I heard about 3-5years, but I've never a retainer, so I could be wrong....





BTW-


can you give pros and cons of invisalign pleasee?


i'm considering them, and it'd be nice to hear from a person almost done with them!





you can put them in "details" if you want to list them.


but if your busy, or lazy :P, you don't have to write them. its ok.





:)
Reply:There is no way of knowing if you will need retainers or how long you would need to wear them without knowing your dental history. Your Orthodontist should have explained all this to you as every case is different. Presumably you have had regular assessment appointments with him/her to monitor your progress? Don't be afraid to ask questions!