If the brace was removed once the desired smile had been achieved and nothing was done to hold the teeth in their new position then gradually they would move back to where they started – this is called relapse. But “retaining” the teeth in the new position will prevent this.
The risk of relapse will always be there, although the further away from the date the brace came off, the longer it will be for the relapse to be noticeable.
As we want anyone who invests time and/or money in a new straight smile to keep them that way, we provide all our private patients with a combination of removable retainers (to wear at night) and fixed retainers. These are made to fit behind the front teeth and the fixed retainers are cemented or glued in place, effectively preventing the teeth from moving in relation to each other. Both types of retainers are important to be worn long term to help your new smile last.