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English => Orthodontic Treatment => Topic started by: Ingo on 03. December 2007, 22:07:51 PM

Title: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: Ingo on 03. December 2007, 22:07:51 PM
How long do you usually have to wear the hawley retainer after finishing the active treatment? How long (how many months or weeks) is the time to wear it all-time, how long the time to wear it part-time?
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: Hilly on 04. December 2007, 13:20:50 PM
It will vary.  Different ortho's have different ideas.  It will also depend on how stable your results are and if you have any bonded retainers.

Retainer wear is for life ... due to our teeth continuing to move for as long as we're alive.  Most people start with a few weeks/months of full time wear, then it might be very night for a few more months, followed by continuing that for life, or wearing of your retainers for a few nights a week, like every second day.

Essix retainers are now the choice of many orthodontists, due to higher compliance with a less noticeable appliance.
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: Person on 06. December 2007, 03:44:15 AM
When I got my braces off, I got an essix retainer for my top teeth and a permanent retainer for my lower teeth. I think I was told I'd have to wear the upper retainer all day for six months, but after four or five, my orthodontist said I only needed to wear it at night from then on.
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: gjnijenhuis on 19. December 2007, 00:08:28 AM
Most people start with wearing it 24/7. After that the ortho will reduce it, with some persons after a month, others have to wait for several months to years. It realy depends on your specific situation.

Anyway the best way is to just do what the ortho tells you or else you might end up with crooked teeth after a long and painful treatment.
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: ljutomir on 08. June 2008, 20:47:42 PM
I started to wear retainer on my bottom teeth (upper should be fixed up now) and still wear it almost 24/7. After few months we`ll shift onto wearing it during sleeping.
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: fullbracessamantha on 02. July 2008, 18:04:31 PM
i was told i would have wear a retainer for about 12months 24/7 then would spend a few months wearing 18hrs/day and gradually decrease the hours i wear it until i'm wearing only at night.
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: coffeemate on 31. October 2012, 22:05:08 PM
Anyone I've known who has had their braces off for a few years and stopped wearing their retainers would have a hard time getting the retainers to fit later. Maybe not immediately, but eventually.
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: lemonlyman89 on 17. August 2013, 06:07:54 AM
Directly after I got my braces off, I wore a positioner for one week all the time. They kept the molar bands in my mouth and the positioner clicked in (so that it wouldn't fall out at night. After a week, I was given Hawley retainers to wear for 24/7 (they also sort of clicked into the bands), even when eating, for 8 months. I now just wear at night.
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: hndrk on 04. March 2014, 21:18:36 PM
Everyone is wearing the retainer full time. I think it makes sense, but in Germany people usually wear retainers only at night and only for a few years or even months. Teeth tend to shift then of course.  For some reason, people don't wear removable braces in public here.
When i got my retainer after 2 years of fixed braces, i was told to wear it 14hrs/day for 6 weeks and then only at night, reducing it to once a week after 2 years. Whats wrong with the people here? :D
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: andys on 06. March 2014, 05:59:46 AM
Everyone is wearing the retainer full time. I think it makes sense, but in Germany people usually wear retainers only at night and only for a few years or even months. Teeth tend to shift then of course.  For some reason, people don't wear removable braces in public here.
When i got my retainer after 2 years of fixed braces, i was told to wear it 14hrs/day for 6 weeks and then only at night, reducing it to once a week after 2 years. Whats wrong with the people here? :D

I always thought orthodontic appliances were more common in Germany. Everyone I know who had braces wore a retainer all the time for the first few months or so. I'm pretty sure I remember my friend's brother wearing his for what seemed like a year afterwards.
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: pi314phi18 on 10. May 2020, 20:38:17 PM
I'm going to wear an Essix retainers all day during 6 month and Hawley retainers at night for several years
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: prahm on 23. December 2020, 05:22:33 AM
I was told to wear an Essex retainer for a year 24/7 and then every night
Title: Re: How long are retainers to be worn daytime?
Post by: Qwertj on 18. May 2021, 00:15:40 AM
Was told to wear a retainer for 14-18 hr a day.