I just finished my Invisalign treatment. Technically, I just received my last pair of aligners. I’ll be moving at the end of this week to another state. Will I need to find another Invisalign dentist for any retainer that is needed or will a regular dentist be okay for that?
Bethany
Dear Bethany,
Invisalign Aligner
Pretty much any dentist can make a basic retainer. However, one of the real benefits of Invisalign is that, if you do it right you can use your last pair of aligners in the place of a retainer. In the meantime, have your current dentist transfer all the notes and diagnostics from your case over to whomever you end up with as a precaution.
Here is the process you can use to utilize your Invisalign aligners as a retainer:
- Step One: Wear them as you normally have, but for a month instead of just the two weeks you would normally wear them.
- Step Two: Try wearing them only at night for one to two months.
- Step Three: Move to wearing them every other night. But, do a test after a few days to see if that is okay. If it is, continue with every other night for a month or two.
- The “TEST”: If it is a little harder to put the retainer back in, that means your teeth have shifted and you need to return to whatever step you were on previously.
- Step Four: Wear it twice a week, then test.
- Step Five: Wear it once a week
- Step Six: Don’t wear it at all, but please do check periodically.
In addition to the ability to use Invisalign as a retainer, if you take great care of them and keep them around, you can also use them as teeth whitening trays. Then, the only thing you would need to whiten your teeth would be the gel, which your dentist can provide for you at a minimal fee.
Best of luck with your move.
This blog is brought to you by Grosse Pointe Woods Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Patel.