How long can I go without my retainers?

How long can you go without using retainers?

• I had stop using my retainers nearly instantly after getting my braces removed in the fall of 2009 I used them again for most of the 2010 summer then I lost them again and when I found them they felt way too tight that the first 2 days it hurt like when I first got braces. I eventually started to think that maybe the cable on the retainers was bended so I'm going to the dentist to replace it, but then someone said that sometimes when you don't have your retainers one for a long time your teeth go back to where they were first at before you get braces. I have good straight teeth the only problem I had was an over bite but then I that person said that your teeth can get gaps and look uglier than I would have had I never had braces. I any of this true and if so how long can you last without retainers before the dentist recommends going back to braces again?

• Answer:

  Yes, it is true. Over time your teeth will start moving back. You are supposed to wear your retainers 24/7 after getting your braces off for at least 6 months and then just at night for the rest of your life! I wore my retainers for a while and then stopped. Over years my teeth got over crowded and I could use braces again, but I am older and don't have the money anymore. I think leaving your retainers off for just a short time is dumb and a waste of the money spent on braces. To answer your question, I think everyone's teeth move at different rates, but it would probably take 2-3 years for your teeth to start looking different.