What happens if I lose or break my retainer?

Yes. The retention requirement is the same regardless of the appliance used for active treatment. Teeth have a natural tendency to move back towards their original position, so retainers are needed after any orthodontic treatment to hold the result. With aligners, the last set of trays is often followed by a clear removable retainer made from the final scan, and some practices also place a fixed retainer behind the lower front teeth. Which is used depends on how stable the final position is and how likely the patient is to wear a removable one consistently.

Retention is usually considered lifelong. Most clinicians recommend full-time wear for several months after treatment, then switching to nights-only wear indefinitely. How quickly teeth move without retainers varies between individuals, so following your clinician's specific guidance is important. Teeth continue to shift slightly throughout life, including in people who never had braces, so the aim of long-term retainer wear is to stop the small movements that would otherwise undo the result. A fixed bonded retainer, if you have one, works around the clock without any effort.