What would happen after aligner treatment is completed? Instead of having a new retainer made for me, can I use my last tray as my retainer?
Aligner trays are not meant for continuous wear beyond their treatment cycle. They are only meant to be worn for 2 weeks at most. They are likely to become damaged quickly. The retainers that will be made are a stronger custom-fitted tray to meet your ongoing needs.
Wearing your last aligner tray won’t work. They aren’t really designer for long-term use. It will get pretty nasty and yellow.
The material used for retainer is different from the usual aligner. Retainers will be used for longer time than aligners which are used only for 2 weeks.
Aligners are not meant for continuous wear. You need to have a custom-made retainer made for you. You may have to use the retainers for life so you need a stronger material for retainer.
Your last trays can’t be used as retainers because retainers are made up of a stronger and stiffer material to prevent relapse. So if you want that your whole treatment should not go waste it is advisable that you get the retainers made.
The aligner trays will tend to get dirty over time even when you clean it religiously. The aligner material is also flexible and not meant to be worn over the long term. The aligner is not rigid enough to provide sufficient long-term retention of the teeth.
What material is used for aligner and what is used for clear retainers?
I thought the material used for both aligners and retainers are the same. They look similar.
You can. But you should not. It won’t last more than 2 weeks. Wearing it after its intended use can have negative effects.
No no. Never use your last aligner as retainer. It wouldn’t “retain” your teeth for a long time. It might help you for at most 2 weeks only.
I think after your last aligners, you can have an option to have refinements to make small changes after your treatment. If you don’t need any refinements, you’ll have to have a different retainer made for you. On the first months, you still need to wear it for most of the day. But after 6 months or a year, you can only wear it at night only.