When your treatment is completed and your braces come off, this marks the start of what is called the “retention period.” We typically see you two to three times during the year following braces so we can monitor how well your teeth are ‘retaining’ their new position. Key to helping your teeth stabilize is in the wearing of your retainer, which requires full-time wear for six months, followed by nighttime wear for at least two years (or longer, if you are willing).