How Many Years Do You Have To Wear Retainers. The exact length depends on your orthodontist or dentist’s recommendation. It’s not uncommon for a retainer to last at least 10 years.
This is the average time it takes for your teeth to settle and set into place. Some people have even been able to wear their permanent retainers for up to 20 years. And your dentist will probably have you continue on with this regimen for the next several months, and possibly as long as 1 or 2 years.
However, you can remove them when you eat or brush your teeth.
If you stop wearing your retainer, your teeth may drift back to their original position. The reason we recommend this cycle of wear is due to the slow shifting of teeth forward and inward as we get older. But on average, you might have to wear a hawley retainer for a couple of years following your braces. Hawley retainers also make cleaning very easy—both for your teeth and the retainer itself.