Will my teeth recover after orthodontic treatment? This is a problem that many patients and their parents worry about, treatment will be nearly over, the doctor will make retainers according to the patient’s condition, in order to maintain the resulting orthodontic effect, as long as the adherence to wear, generally will not recur. The main reasons for recurrence after orthodontic treatment are: (1) the final reconstruction of facial muscle power balance has not been completed in the process of the formation of malocclusion, many tissues of the muscle system produce the muscle power balance that is compatible with the malocclusion. Completion of orthodontic treatment of the deformity form often precedes functional and kinetic modifications, and the new form may still be affected by the old kinetic balance, which is unstable and leads to recurrence. (2) The tension of muscle fibers around the teeth has not been restored to the balance after orthodontic treatment of malocclusion, periodontal gap widening and periodontal fiber torsion is normal, before they have established a new balance, the teeth in the new position is unstable, especially the torsion of the teeth, the gingival connective tissues and periodontal fibers must be maintained until the establishment of a new balance of the tension. (3) Unbroken bad oral habits Bad habits can lead to an abnormal muscular dynamic balance, which is an important causative factor of malocclusion. If the original bad oral habits remain after correction, it may cause recurrence. (4) The occlusion of upper and lower teeth is not yet balanced The occlusal relationship of the teeth is the most powerful factor to stabilize the teeth in their new position. The new occlusion state needs to go through constant tooth wear or artificial adjustment grinding to achieve a good contact relationship between the apical bevels. During its self-adjustment, the malocclusion has a tendency to recur. (5) The eruption of wisdom teeth The anterior tilt of wisdom teeth (third molar) and horizontal obstruction have the force of forward pushing, which can lead to the recurrence of malocclusion. (6) Influence of growth pattern Different individuals have their specific growth trend, which is called growth pattern. Patients who undergo orthodontic treatment at the early stage of permanent dentition are still in the period of growth and development when the treatment is finished, and the jawbone still grows according to the original way, and the continuation of this growth pattern causes the instability of orthodontic treatment results. So, how to wear a retainer? The duration of wearing the retainer is affected by many factors, which are related to the patient’s age, health condition, the cause of the misalignment, the type of misalignment, the time and method of treatment, the growth pattern of the patient, etc., and thus the duration of retention varies considerably. The doctor will develop a retention program based on each patient’s situation. In general, retainers are usually worn for more than 2 years. In the first year, they are worn during the day and night, and only briefly not when eating, brushing, and cleaning the retainer; in the second year, they are worn every night, and in the next 3-6 months, they are changed to be worn every other night until the position of the teeth is basically stabilized. During the period of wearing the retainer, regular follow-up appointments will be made every three months or so, and the doctor will give advice based on the individual’s wearing condition and the degree of stability of the teeth to prevent recurrence.