We have discussed how braces actually move teeth and how the bones breakdown and are recreated to accommodate the new position, which is called bone remodeling. We talked about how the teeth will move about 1 millimeter per month.

As slow as this process is even after you get the braces removed your teeth have yet to permanently accept their new position. This is where retainers come into play.

Retainers are used to help teeth stay straight after a person has had braces. The retainer can hold the teeth in position so that the process of rebuilding the bone around the teeth can finalize.

Once the process is finalized your orthodontist may let you discontinue use of the retainer or maybe just recommend occasional use instead of daily use. This is a very important time for the reshaping of your mouth and not using the retainer can lead to teeth getting out of formation.