Is it okay to skip a night of retainers?

Wearing retainers after braces is an important part of the orthodontic treatment process. Retainers help teeth stay in their new positions after braces are removed. However, many people wonder if it is okay to skip wearing retainers for a night occasionally.

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What do retainers do?

Retainers serve several important functions after braces:

They hold teeth in their new positions. After braces move teeth, retainers keep them from shifting back. This maintains the alignment and bite created by braces.
They prevent relapse. Orthodontic treatment straightens teeth by moving them into proper alignment. Retainers prevent them from reverting back to their old, crooked positions.
They guide post-treatment settling. After braces, teeth need time to settle into their final positions. Retainers guide this settling process so teeth move slightly to their ideal places.

Wearing retainers full-time as directed by an orthodontist allows them to properly fulfill these roles. When retainers are not worn as prescribed, teeth may shift and undo the progress made with braces.

Can I skip a night of retainers?

Whether or not it is okay to skip wearing retainers for a night depends on several factors:

Retainer type: The two main kinds of retainers are removable (taken out to eat, brush teeth, etc.) and fixed (permanently cemented behind teeth). Fixed retainers are not removable, so you cannot skip them. Removable retainers can be skipped, but it is not recommended.

Length of time wearing retainers: Skipping retainers is more risky early on in the retention phase, versus years later after teeth have stabilized. Early on, teeth are still settling into position and require diligent retainer wear.
Closeness to the end of treatment: Teeth are prone to shifting soon after braces are removed. The first 6-12 months are the most critical retainer wearing period when skipping is very ill-advised.
Individual factors: Some people’s teeth are more prone to shifting than others. Retainer wear should be customized to the patient’s specific needs.

Risks of skipping retainers

Deciding to skip wearing retainers for a night comes with the following risks:

Teeth begin to shift out of alignment. Even one night without retainers can allow teeth to start moving. This quickly undoes the progress made with braces.
More time needed in retainers down the road. If teeth shift, you will have to wear retainers for longer to get them back into proper position.

Permanent loss of correction. In severe cases, a single skipped night of retainers allows teeth to relapse completely back to their pretreatment positions.
Wasted time, effort and money. If teeth shift back significantly, braces may need to be redone. This means more time in treatment and greater expense.

These risks are highest earlier on after braces are removed. But even after many years, a night without retainers can start relapse.

Best practices for retainer wear

To get the most out of orthodontic treatment, follow these retainer best practices:

Wear retainers exactly as instructed by your orthodontist. In the first 6-12 months, this is usually full-time wear (except eating, brushing, contact sports).
Always wear retainers at nighttime. Nighttime wear is critical for keeping teeth in place.

Request additional retainers. Having a backup allows you to wear retainers consistently if one needs repair.
See your orthodontist regularly. Appointments every 4-6 months are typical to monitor retainer wear and teeth positioning.
Inform your orthodontist of any skipping. If you miss a night, tell your orthodontist so they can assess tooth movement.

Commit to your retainers. View them as a fixed part of your daily oral health routine, like brushing and flossing.

Can I ever stop wearing my retainer?

At a certain point, teeth will be stable enough to stop retainer wear. When this occurs depends on several factors:

Time since orthodontic treatment ended. Teeth need about 2 years of settling before retainers may be able to be discontinued.

Teeth positioning. Teeth need to be in ideal alignment with no crowding or spacing issues.
Growth status. If significant facial growth remains (typically until age 18-21), retainers are still needed.
Individual variation. Some patients need indefinite retainer wear due to inherently unstable teeth.

Your orthodontist is the best judge of when you can safely stop retainer wear. They will monitor your teeth closely over years before recommending discontinuation. Some general guidelines include:

Nighttime wear only after 1-2 years of full-time wear.
Gradual stepping down of nightly wear over months and years.

Eventual stoppage of nighttime wear if teeth remain stable.
Lifelong nighttime or occasional daytime wear if teeth are unstable.

Alternatives to skipping retainers

If you are tempted to skip wearing your retainers, consider these alternatives:

Be prepared with retainer cases. Keep cases handy at home, work, in your car, etc. to store retainers when removed.
Request additional retainers. Having extras allows you to rotate usage between cleanings.
Set phone reminders. Use apps with alerts to remind you when to insert and remove retainers.

Make retainers part of your routine. Integrate them into your regular oral hygiene and mealtime habits.
Involve family and friends. Ask loved ones to help remind and encourage you to wear retainers.
Focus on the benefits. Remember that wearing retainers helps preserve your orthodontic investment.

Key Takeaways

Here are the key points to remember:

Retainers are critical for keeping teeth in position after braces.
Ideally, removable retainers should be worn full-time for 6-12 months, then nightly thereafter.

Skipping retainers risks undoing the progress made with braces.
Work with your orthodontist on an appropriate long-term retainer wearing schedule.
Make retainer wear a daily habit to get the smile you want long-term.

The Bottom Line

While an occasional skipped night of retainers may not cause major issues, it is best not to risk teeth shifting. Work with your orthodontist to wear retainers as directed to protect your investment in your smile. With time and diligent wear, you can eventually taper down retainer use. But until your orthodontist gives the all-clear, prioritize wearing your retainers consistently and correctly.