I stopped wearing my retainer in February. There have just been a lot of things going on in my life. A few nights of being too tired to remember to wear my retainers at night led to weeks and now 7 months. My teeth have shifted worse than I would have thought in this short period. My retainer no longer fits. I am concerned that my dentist will recommend going back to Invisalign. Should I try an old set of aligners and see if they work? Thank you. Kyle
Kyle,
Thank you for your question. Dr. Finley would need to examine your teeth and determine your options for realigning them.
What If You Haven’t Worn Your Retainer for Months?
If you haven’t worn your retainer for months, your dentist will take a digital scan of your teeth and examine your bite to determine how much your teeth have shifted. Your treatment options will depend on the extent of teeth movement.
- Mild Shifting – A retainer may be enough to correct mild teeth shifting. Your dentist can take impressions of your teeth to order a custom retainer that guides your teeth back into alignment.
- Moderate to Severe Shifting – When shifting is significant after months without wearing an aligner, short-term treatment with Invisalign can help. The only way to verify which treatment you need is to schedule an appointment with your dentist.
Schedule an appointment with your Invisalign dentist for an exam. During the visit, talk to your dentist about your financial concerns. The financial coordinator at the office will explain payment options to help make your treatment affordable.
Monore, Louisiana, accredited Fellow of cosmetic dentistry Dr. David Finley sponsors this post.