Clear aligners may seem like a miracle of modern orthodontics.
Clear aligners are less noticeable, lack pesky wires, allow you to brush and floss your teeth more easily, and are easier to remove. Choosing a clear aligner over a traditional retainer may, at first, seem like a no-brainer.
However, traditional retainers still have a place to keep your pearly whites parallel to one another.
Thus, it may be ideal to have both in your dental plan for optimal results. Aligners and retainers are best thought of not as separate choices, but two components of a greater routine. A full understanding of the difference between them ensures better dental health for the whole family.
Much like acne, mood swings, and voice cracks, traditional metal braces have long been a challenge typically associated with adolescence. They have an unpleasant look and make eating and proper dental hygiene more difficult. Still, they remain a fixture in modern orthodontics because they are effective at their job. Braces help to straighten out issues like:
Braces actively shift teeth into a straighter position and can be removed when they have aligned teeth as desired. Advancements in dental technology and modern orthodontics, however, have resulted in a new method of active teeth alignment emerging.
These are clear aligners, a method that involves using clear pieces of plastic to straighten teeth instead. The plastic designs are custom-made to fit your teeth exactly, and rest on top of them like a hat or glove. By holding your teeth in place, they serve the same purpose as traditional metal braces.
Clear aligners are more popular with adults than children and teens. While they remove the stigma of having braces and improver social confidence, using them requires discipline. Effective results require them to be in for 20-22 hours per day, only being removed for:
As your teeth move into their desired location, you will need to replace your clear aligner periodically while they shift, typically every 1-2 weeks depending on your plan. This re-alignment typically occurs in increments of just 0.2 millimeters, which is thinner than a strand of hair! Naturally, people using clear aligners will go through dozens of aligners in the months or years before their teeth have reached their ideal position.
After your teeth are fully straightened out, what comes next?
Even after the teeth are fully re-aligned, the process is not over. This is when the traditional retainer comes in.
As implied by the name, retainers do not move your teeth. Their purpose is to “retain” the work that has already been done by holding them in place. Even after the desired visual effect of straight teeth is achieved, your jawbones still need another 9-12 months to rehabilitate to the changes in full. Neglecting a retainer can result in a swift reversal of your progress.
There are three main types of retainers currently available on the market, which include:
The dental experts at Garden State Dental Design advise wearing your retainer for 20-22 hours in the first year of use, just as you would for clear aligners. Even after the jawbone has adjusted, it is best to wear a retainer while sleeping.
The reason why? Unpleasant and wiry as a retainer may be; teeth and jawbones can shift over the course of life. Even after a successful cycle of re-alignment and a year of full-time retainer work, a mix of natural aging and dental posture can result in undesirable movements. It is good to think of your nighttime retainer as a “better safe than sorry” tool.
A logical assumption many make is that clear aligners, particularly the last one used in the alignment process, can be worn as a retainer. We see how this conclusion can be reached. Aligners are designed to fit our teeth snugly and guide them into a desired position. However, they are not intended for long-term use.
Since aligners are only meant to be used for 1-2 weeks at a time while retainers are ideally permanent, the quality of plastic aligners utilize is much lower. Use for any longer than 2 weeks results in the material disintegrating and a drop in quality.
In addition, all aligners you use are manufactured with miniscule tight and loose areas designed to push your teeth into a specific place. This is different from a retainer, which fits tightly on your teeth and prevents any movement whatsoever.
Clear aligners and retainers serve different roles in achieving and maintaining a straight smile. Aligners are used to guide teeth into proper alignment, while retainers help preserve those results once treatment is complete. Clear retainer options that are less visible than traditional metal-and-acrylic Hawley retainers are also available, depending on individual needs.
Whether you are considering orthodontic treatment or looking to maintain your current results, Garden State Dental Design has proudly served Union and Essex County, New Jersey. To schedule a consultation, please call (732) 669-7227 or contact us online.
