The short answer
Every night for the first year, then three or four nights a week for good. Teeth keep moving for the rest of your life.
The day the braces come off is the day people stop listening. I understand it, and it is the most expensive moment of the whole treatment.
Why teeth drift back
The fibres and bone around a tooth remodel for months after it moves, and the jaw keeps changing for decades. Without retention, front teeth crowd again, usually in the first year.
What we recommend
- Every night for the first year
- Three or four nights a week after that, for good
- A new one at cost if it wears out or is lost
- A quick free check any time something feels tight
General information about orthodontic treatment, not advice for your mouth. Ask us about your own case at a consultation.