How Long Do You Have To Wear A Retainer For After Braces. A retainer won’t last forever. The effectiveness of removable retainers depends upon the patient following the orthodontist’s instructions precisely on when and how long to wear them.
You never stop needing to. It is recommended you wear your retainer at least 12 hours out of every day for the first eight weeks following the completion of your treatment. On average, the initial stage of a patient’s retention process involved wearing their appliances for 16 hours per day (the range was from 2 to 24 hours), 7 days a week.
Permanent retainers require strict hygiene habits.
Most patients will see the results they desire by wearing their retainer at night and between meals. So, when you begin wearing a retainer, you should wear it pretty much consistently about a year, after that you can gradually decrease usage. It is recommended you wear your retainer at least 12 hours out of every day for the first eight weeks following the completion of your treatment. Most patients will see the results they desire by wearing their retainer at night and between meals.