Removable orthodontic alternatives (clear aligners) have a shorter lifespan than traditional removable retainers. The main reason is they both have different purposes. Hawley or clear retainers are used to maintain your corrected bite position in place and prevent it from changing back to the way it was before orthodontic treatment. Invisalign retainers (aligners) are placed for a short time to correct and align your smile with pressure points in specific teeth that need to be corrected. Once the set accomplishes its purpose, you need to jump to the next set.