Achieving a perfect smile through orthodontic treatment is a significant milestone, but maintaining that smile to prevent orthodontic relapse requires ongoing dedication on your part.
This article delves into the concept of teeth relapse, a common issue that occurs when patients neglect their retainer use after completing orthodontic treatment.
What is Orthodontic Relapse?
You have FINALLY completed the long and painful journey of orthodontic treatment. Your teeth are beautiful and straight, you look at your dentist or orthodontist with tears welling up in your eyes, and they hand you a gift. You look down at it, and lo and behold – you see a pair of retainers.
Teeth relapse occurs when you do not wear your retainers for a sufficient amount of time. This results in your teeth slowly starting to shift to a different position than where your dentist or orthodontist left them.
Your teeth are constantly shifting regardless of your age. If you wish to retain the beautiful smile that your dentist or orthodontist has helped you achieve, you will need to wear retainers.
The duration of retention includes the number of hours of wear each day, and duration of time that you wear your retainers for. It is also largely determined by how stable your teeth are. The more stable the position of the teeth, the less likely and less quickly they are to shift to a different position.
It is best to ask your treating dentist or orthodontist on your individual protocol for wearing your retainer!
How to Fix Relapse Teeth?
The most ideal situation is to be very disciplined in wearing your retainers! If your teeth have not shifted too far off, pop your retainers back on and be prepared that it might hurt a little.
Your retainers would essentially be “squeezing” your teeth back to their desired position. But fret not, once your teeth have shifted back to their desired position, your retainers will feel much more comfortable.
There are situations when it might be a little too late for retainers. One of these situations is if you have not worn your retainers for a long time, and are finding it hard to squeeze the retainers back onto your teeth. The other would be if your teeth have started to look visibly different from your smile when you completed treatment.
In cases like these, it is possible that you might need to undergo a second round of orthodontic treatment to restore your beautiful smile. Unfortunately, that means repeating the entire orthodontic journey again.
Before the panic and fear starts setting in, stop for a moment and read this. If your teeth have minimal relapse, it is possible to get through your second round of orthodontic treatment in a much shorter (and less painful) duration of time.
The key is to seek treatment as soon as you have realized, before the relapse gets worse day by day. I find that the quickest and most discreet way to fix mild to moderate relapse cases is using clear aligners such as Angel Aligner or Invisalign.
The best way to avoid needing to fix relapsed teeth is to be compliant with your retainers and follow the instructions of your dentist or orthodontist very closely! You should also check that your retainers are in good conditions and are able to hold your teeth in their desired position.
If your retainers are cracked or distorted, they would not be able to serve their purpose. This is when you should probably check in with your dentist or orthodontist about getting a new set! If you are unsure about anything, there is no harm in checking in with your dentist or orthodontist to clarify!
How Fast Do Orthodontic Relapses Occur?
Tooth relapse can occur very quickly in some patients. I have had patients telling me that just after a few hours of not wearing their retainers, that their teeth feel different.
Some patients have told me that after just a few hours of not wearing their retainers, they find that their teeth feel different.
If you have not worn your retainers for a week, your teeth would have had plenty of opportunity to start relapsing! You might want to put your retainers on and see how it feels.
That being said, your teeth should generally become more stable the longer you have worn your retainers for. If you have completed your orthodontic treatment 10 years ago, and have been very diligently wearing your retainers everyday for the past 10 years, forgetting to wear your retainers for 1 week is probably not going to make much of a difference.
On the other hand, if you have just completed your orthodontic treatment and you do not wear your retainers for 1 week, the chances of your teeth relapsing is much higher. The best way to prevent tooth relapse is to wear your retainers diligently as prescribed by your dentist or orthodontist.
I have come across many patients that recount how they were put through metal braces in their adolescent years, but threw away their retainers a long time ago. These patients assume that their teeth will stay in that ideal position forever. Most of them were not aware of the fact that teeth are always shifting, and could always shift.
Every dentist and orthodontist have their own set of protocols for retention in their orthodontic cases. However, the general rule of thumb is that there would have to be retainers worn post orthodontic treatment. The duration of wear can decrease as time goes by.
For example, after 1 year of wearing the retainer, you might only need to wear it for 12 hours a day instead of 18 hours a day. Or perhaps, after 5 years post orthodontic treatment, you only need to wear your retainers once every 3 nights instead of every night. It is best to check with your treating dentist or orthodontist on what is the best protocol for your teeth!
Does Orthodontic Relapse Hurt?
An orthodontic relapse will not hurt you but you might experience some discomfort during the treatment to fix any relapses.
The process of getting a second orthodontic treatment would likely be similar to the first round of orthodontic treatment. If the amount of correction that is needed for the second round of orthodontic treatment is less than the first round, the pain and duration may also be reduced.
How much would it cost to treat orthodontic relapse in Singapore?
The cost of getting a second round of orthodontic treatment varies. If you have a mild relapse, the average cost of treatment can be around $1,700 to $4,500. For more severe relapse cases, the average cost might be around $3,000 to $6,500.
The key factors that will change your budget are the severity of the relapse, the orthodontic appliance you are using to fix the relapse – whether it is braces, or clear aligners – and the brand of braces or clear aligners you would require.
I like to use clear aligners like Angel Aligner or Invisalign, to fix mild to moderate relapse cases, as I find that they can produce discreet and more predictable results in helping patients like yourself regain their smiles.
Prevent orthodontic relapse and maintain your smile by wearing your retainers consistently
Teeth relapse is a preventable issue that can undo the hard-earned results of orthodontic treatment. By understanding the importance of consistent retainer use and following your dentist or orthodontist’s instructions, you can maintain your beautiful smile for years to come.
If relapse does occur, early intervention is key to minimizing the extent of correction needed. Whether through diligent retainer wear or a second round of treatment, preserving your aligned teeth is possible with proper care and attention.
Remember, your smile is an investment worth protecting, and with the right approach, you can enjoy the benefits of your orthodontic treatment for a lifetime.