Is retention therapy necessary after orthodontic treatment to prevent teeth from returning to their original crooked position?

Retention treatment, applied after orthodontic treatment is complete and the wires or aligners are removed, is absolutely essential for maintaining the perfect result for life and is the most critical stage of the process. When teeth are moved to their new positions, it takes a long time for the surrounding bone and gum fibers to adapt to this new arrangement and for ossification to be completed. If the teeth are left to their own devices immediately after the wires are removed, they tend to quickly return to their old crooked or spaced positions due to the memory of the gum fibers. To prevent this, thin, invisible wires (stabilizers) are bonded to the inner (back) surfaces of the teeth and/or the patient is given clear retention plates (Essix aligners) to wear at night. Adhering to retention rules is essential to protect the results of years of treatment effort.