Metal Mouth Message Board

i've been instructed to wear the retainers for 4 months 24/7 and at nights after that. i still feel a bit tight when i leave them out for as much as 2 hours so i've decided to actually go against instructions and wear them as much as i can possibly for another year. Maybe you could talk to the orth...

i haven't been to this forum in a while. hope everyone is doing ok. i had my braces off about 6 months ago and i'm wearing retainers now, of course. i have both hawleys and essix and i abandoned the hawleys and am now wearing the essix exclusively. my only concern is the lifespan of the essix. i rea...

I am getting my braces off in a couple of weeks (woohoo!!! :D ) and I will be getting both essix and hawley retainers. Essix for the day and hawleys for nighttime. While I am really excited about getting my braces off, I am very nervous about not being able to talk properly (especially at work! :? ...

i think the metal brackets are better. we'll obviously never know if they do indeed move teeth faster. they're smaller and don't stain. the ceramics or clear bracket are bigger and not even less noticeable since you have to have an archwire and ligatures/chains anyway so why bother?? if you really w...

guys it will be worth it in the end.. TTRRUUSSTT MMEEEE!!!!

Since I got my braces, I have looked at the mirror ALL the time! Even now that they're off, I STILL gaze at my teeth in the mirror. :lol: holly you're BEAUTIFUL!! i can see why you'd look in the mirror a lot!! :wink: by the way i have my braces off and look at my teeth with the essix in all the tim...

does anyone else have both hawley and essix retainers?? i have both and they feel different. i don't feel like the hawleys are retaining anything. my teeth were moving and i could almost see it! :yikes: i'm going back to the essix. i think they work better and form the truest impression of the "...

What should I do??? Can I go to another orthodontist to finish this treatment? I am getting so frustrated with him and I think he's an idiot. Thanks! natasha, i have a flat front and I HATE IT!! my teeth just don't look straight but i can definitely live with it compared to what i had 2 years ago. ...

i would think it's about time for new retainers. they're supposed to last 3-5 years and it's been 10..and also, you grew between then and now so i'd imagine you'd need new ones.

i really don't care what my ortho said, i'm wearing mine 24/7 as long as they're still in one piece.

i never brushed in public. just rinse your mouth with water and brush first thing when you get home. i did ok. matter of fact, i think eating out is worse with retainers since you have to take them out which means your hands have to be clean and you have to bring your retainer case. what if you don'...

ok, i have both hawley's and essix. when i wear the hawleys, i feel like saliva is getting trapped somewhere and causing mild bad breath. do you guys ever get a weird taste because of the retainers?? i really like the essix but i don't want to wear them all the time since they feel so fragile...i ne...

it depends on how long the period of time is between the removal of braces and placement of retainers. i got my braces off on a thursday and by saturday morning, a gap had opened between my upper front teeth. i was scheduled to get retainers on the monday morning. after placing the retainers, the te...

ok, i have both essix and hawleys and i use the essix 40% of the time. i notice everytime i put them in, they feel a bit tight even though i've been wearing the hawleys' 24/7. since they both were made off the same mold shouldn't they be just about the same?? is one better than the other in terms of...

ok, today i got my hawleys' and right now i'm constantly gagging!! :-(( and they don't exactly look right; doesn't seem to fit but i'll see how it goes. good thing i don't have to wear them to eat. meanwhile i got a nasty burn in my mouth. last week i was at a restaurant and the food was really hot ...