Teeth do not set in place when treatment ends. Relapse is the normal tendency, not a complication — which is why retention is part of the treatment rather than an add-on.
Worn on a schedule that usually reduces over time but rarely stops entirely.
Fixed retainers
A thin wire bonded behind the teeth. Needs careful cleaning.
Lifelong tendency
Teeth continue to shift with age whether or not you had treatment.
If a retainer stops fitting
Do not force it. That usually means movement has already happened.
If you lose one
Replace it promptly — days matter more than weeks.
The honest expectation
Anyone who tells you retention ends after a set number of months is simplifying. The realistic expectation is indefinite part-time wear, which most people find unremarkable once it is habit.
If your teeth have already drifted, that is not a reason to give up — it is a reason to have them assessed before the movement becomes larger.
What we can explain here — and what needs an exam
A page can inform you. It cannot examine you.
We can explain online
Why relapse happens
The types of retainer
What to do if one breaks or stops fitting
Determined after an exam
Which retainer suits your case
Whether existing movement needs re-treatment
How long full-time wear is needed for you
What to do next
Keep the retainer, wear the retainer. It protects work you have already paid for.