Vivera Retainers

You wear a retainer for life. Teeth shift throughout adulthood through natural tooth drift, a process driven by the periodontal ligament remodeling around each root. McComb Orthodontics recommends indefinite retention for every patient completing treatment at its Culver City, West Hollywood, and Santa Monica locations. Most patients wear retainers full-time for the first three months after braces or Invisalign come off, then transition to nightly wear permanently. McComb Orthodontics builds lifetime retention into every treatment plan from the consultation forward — it is not an afterthought.

Teeth begin moving back toward their original positions within weeks of stopping retainer wear. The periodontal ligament continues remodeling throughout adult life, and without nightly retention, natural tooth drift resumes. The shift starts slowly, then becomes visible within a year. Teeth that were rotated or crowded are the first to move. After several years without a retainer, most patients have lost most of the alignment they achieved during treatment and require corrective care to restore it. A Vivera retainer worn nightly at McComb Orthodontics prevents this from occurring.

Try seating the retainer. If it fits against your teeth with light pressure and no discomfort, you can wear it back into compliance over several weeks of nightly wear. If it does not seat fully, do not force it. Forcing a retainer that no longer fits can chip teeth, inflame the gum tissue, or fracture the retainer. McComb Orthodontics offers scan appointments at its Culver City and West Hollywood locations, with Santa Monica opening in 2026. The team evaluates how much natural tooth drift has occurred and recommends either a new Vivera retainer or, if shifting is significant, a short Invisalign refinement course.

Not necessarily. Minor relapse of one to two millimeters is often correctable with a short Invisalign refinement course of three to six months, sometimes without attachments. More significant shifting may require a full treatment course. McComb Orthodontics takes a 3D iTero scan at a scan appointment, assesses the degree of natural tooth drift against your original records when available, and advises on the most practical path. McComb Orthodontics has completed 5,000+ Invisalign cases in Los Angeles, including relapse correction cases where patients had stopped wearing retainers for extended periods.

McComb Orthodontics uses Vivera retainers manufactured by Align Technology as the default for almost every patient. Vivera is a clear thermoplastic retainer that fully encloses every tooth, preserving both alignment and arch width, not just front-tooth position. It provides nighttime grinding protection as a secondary function. Hawley retainers are not used at McComb Orthodontics because they allow a degree of tooth movement during wear. Fixed bonded retainers are reserved for patients who confirm they will not wear a removable retainer consistently at night.

McComb Orthodontics recommends Vivera retainers for the large majority of patients. Removable Vivera retainers are easier to clean, allow normal brushing and flossing without threading under a wire, do not trap tartar at the gum line, and provide grinding protection. Fixed bonded retainers are reserved for patients who are explicit about not wearing a removable retainer consistently, or for cases with high relapse risk in the lower front teeth. Fixed retainers require diligent daily flossing under the wire and monitoring for debonding or wire fracture at every follow-up visit. Dr. Ryan McComb advises on which is appropriate based on your bite and history.

Vivera retainers worn nightly typically last 12 to 18 months before the thermoplastic material wears thin or loses precise contact with the teeth. Patients who grind at night wear through a set in six to nine months. Very consistent patients who do not grind may get up to two years from one set. McComb Orthodontics recommends annual replacement as the standard cadence. Replacing the retainer before the current set wears through maintains arch stability and uninterrupted enamel protection without a lapse in retention.

One set of Vivera retainers is included in the McComb Orthodontics treatment fee for every patient completing active treatment at any of the three Los Angeles locations. Replacement Vivera retainers are $480 per set ordered a-la-carte. Patients enrolled in the McComb Orthodontics Retainer Subscription Program pay $300 per year for annual delivery, which is a lower per-set cost than a-la-carte ordering. Patients who completed treatment at another practice pay the non-patient replacement rate. Call McComb Orthodontics at (310) 299-8894 for current pricing.

The McComb Orthodontics Retainer Subscription Program delivers replacement Vivera retainers on an annual schedule so patients always have a current-fitting retainer without scheduling individual replacement appointments. Subscription pricing is $300 per year, lower than the $480 a-la-carte price per set. Replacement retainers are fabricated from a recent 3D iTero scan of your current tooth position, not from an old impression. Patients who completed treatment at another practice are eligible to enroll after one iTero scan visit at any McComb Orthodontics location in Los Angeles.

The first set of Vivera retainers included in the McComb Orthodontics treatment fee is subject to any orthodontic insurance benefit the patient carries. Replacement retainers ordered after the initial set are typically not covered by dental insurance and are an out-of-pocket expense. McComb Orthodontics is in-network with all PPO dental insurance plans. Kevin, the McComb Orthodontics treatment coordinator, verifies your specific plan coverage before your consultation so there are no surprises about what the retainer benefit covers.

Yes. Orthodontic retainers prescribed by a licensed orthodontist are eligible expenses under most Flexible Spending Account and Health Savings Account plans under IRS guidelines. This applies to the initial Vivera retainer set included in the McComb Orthodontics treatment fee, to replacement sets ordered a-la-carte, and to the annual subscription plan. McComb Orthodontics provides the itemized receipt required for FSA or HSA reimbursement at any point during or after treatment. Ask Kevin, the treatment coordinator, at any of the three Los Angeles locations.

Yes. McComb Orthodontics provides replacement Vivera retainers for patients who completed treatment at any other practice, including other Invisalign providers, general dentists, and patients who used SmileDirectClub or other at-home aligner services. The process requires one iTero scan visit to establish an accurate retainer prescription from your current tooth position. A new scan is required regardless of whether your original provider has records. Vivera retainers are available at McComb Orthodontics in Culver City and West Hollywood, with Santa Monica opening in 2026. You can enroll in the retainer subscription program at the same scan appointment.

Yes. McComb Orthodontics has provided Vivera retainers for patients whose SmileDirectClub, Byte, or other direct-to-consumer retainers stopped fitting, wore through, or came from a company that no longer operates. The process is one iTero scan visit to establish your current tooth position. Mail-order retainer companies use generic thermoplastic rather than Vivera, and replacement support is unavailable from many of these services following closures. McComb Orthodontics manufactures a Vivera retainer from a current scan, confirms the fit at an in-person visit at one of its three Los Angeles locations, and verifies the retainer seats correctly before you leave.

Rinse the retainer in lukewarm water each time you remove it. Once daily, brush gently with a soft toothbrush and clear, fragrance-free liquid soap. Avoid toothpaste, which is mildly abrasive and dulls the clear thermoplastic over time. Avoid boiling water, the dishwasher, and cleaners containing alcohol or bleach. Store the retainer in its case whenever it is out of your mouth. Once weekly, soak for 15 minutes in a retainer-specific cleaner or a 50-50 mix of cool water and white vinegar. Proper cleaning extends the lifespan of the retainer and maintains uninterrupted enamel protection contact.