I wore braces as a teen and for some reason my orthodontist only made a top retainer for me. I wore it at night for years and at age 60 my top teeth are still straight. Unfortunately the bottom teeth have shifted…
The silver lining is that my teeth provided a great visual when discussing retainer wear with my own kids.
^LOL
My DD didn’t wear her retainer and her teeth shifted.
She got lucky. Her fiance - now husband – paid for invisalign treatment and her teeth looked absolutely beautiful at her wedding.
I’m lucky too, since now it’s on him to encourage her to wear whatever retainers she is supposed to wear.
I remember talking with an orthodontist (DDS) who felt that although there are reasons to remove wisdom teeth, generally it wasn’t needed for ortho reasons. DDS believed that impacted wisdom teeth (IWT) only push up for so long, then they give up and just sit there often doing no harm. DDS felt that IWT teeth don’t push with enough force to push back teeth on both sides in front of them to move forward. DDS also felt because of curvature of jaws the force that IWT push in with doesn’t curve around and push front teeth, usually lower front together. DDS felt retainers were needed because teeth were happy where they were at before orthodontic treatment and want to go back. DDS also said teeth have a natural tendency to move towards middle of jaw even without ortho treatment or without IWT present. I remember him saying to touch tips of your two index fingers together and keep pushing at each other, they will eventually slip by each other.