Retainers are very useful, especially after orthodontic treatment. The two most common types of retainers are either a bar on the lower arch on the tongue side or what we call removeable retainers, where they’re plastic and you put them in the mouth and take them out.
Generally, orthodontists fix the lingual wire onto the teeth forever, or the plastic retainers are recommended to wear over night time for a period of five years or more, depending on the treatment and the scenario. Whenever I see patients from Invisalign, I do generally recommend the fixed wire because I can’t always guarantee that the patient is going to wear the plastic retainers for as long as they need to.
