Braces create a beautiful smile, but the retainer maintains it. It holds teeth in their new positions after completing “active” orthodontic treatment. This allows newly formed bone to harden around the teeth. Once your braces come off, your teeth need to settle into the jawbone and soft tissue that hold them in place otherwise teeth have a tendency to shift back to their original position. Wearing retainers as instructed is also key to maintaining the success of orthodontic treatment. Hence, we advise patients to wear them full-time for the first six months after “active” treatment ends, with subsequent wear time reduced to night-time only. When not in the mouth, patients should keep their removable retainers in their case.