{"id":156,"date":"2021-07-08T19:31:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-08T19:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hartorthosmiles.com\/blog\/?p=156"},"modified":"2021-08-13T19:35:48","modified_gmt":"2021-08-13T19:35:48","slug":"use-old-retainer-to-restraighten-teeth-cleburne-orthodontist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hartorthosmiles.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/08\/use-old-retainer-to-restraighten-teeth-cleburne-orthodontist\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Use Your Old Retainer to Restraighten Your Teeth?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Did you wear braces or Invisalign earlier in life, but have found that your teeth have slowly become more crooked since then? Orthodontic treatments have the potential to straighten your smile for life, but that\u2019s only if you wear your retainer as instructed afterwards. If you\u2019ve neglected wearing your retainer, your teeth may gradually shift out of position once again! Now that they have, should you start wearing your old retainer again? The answer might surprise you! Read on as your Cleburne orthodontist<\/a> explains what you should do next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Do Retainers Work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Did you know that your jawbone deteriorates and reforms during an orthodontic treatment? It needs to change shape in order to accommodate the new positions of the roots of your teeth. Once you\u2019ve worn your braces for the estimated amount of time or finished your last set of Invisalign aligners, it\u2019s important that you wear a retainer regularly to make sure your teeth stay straight as the jawbone heals and strengthens underneath them. After that, you\u2019ll likely need to wear a retainer occasionally for the rest of your life to keep your smile in shape as your mouth naturally changes shape with age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Need to Know About Wearing an Old Retainer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At first, it may seem obvious that you need to start wearing your old, neglected retainer again if you notice your teeth are shifting out of place. However, there are times when this can do more harm than good! If your teeth have moved a substantial amount, wearing your retainer could put far too much pressure on them. This could damage the enamel, cause discomfort, and in the worst cases, could fracture your tooth roots by moving your teeth too quickly. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not always easy to tell just how far out of alignment your teeth are just by looking at them. Thankfully, there are some things to keep in mind that can help you make the best decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Use an Old Retainer to Restraighten Teeth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

 Instead, to decide if you should wear your old retainer again, think about how long it\u2019s been. The length of time since the last time you wore your retainer can be a good measuring device to estimate if wearing your old retainer once again will cause damage or not. In general, there are three categories you could fall into:<\/p>\n\n\n\n