Metal Mouth Message Board

user wrote: My other question (sorry for the adult theme) relates to whether my man might have to miss out on certain luxouries in the bedroom during my time wearing braces?

See this page in the main ArchWired.com site:

http://www.archwired.com/BracesandSex_Lead_in.htm

My orthodontist told me that I would need to wear a retainer 24/7 for 4-6 months after removing the braces. After that I would use a nighttime retainer for the rest of my life.

Surprised, I said, "Isn't that a pain?"

She said that she wears one and in fact she feels uncomfortable at night if it's NOT in. Knowing that she is in the same boat and finds that it is no big deal convinced me that it's going to be okay.

Oh, and she expects to place permanent retainers on the back 2-4 upper front teeth and possibly the lower fronts as well. I have friends with permanent retainers and they say they don't even notice it.

TheSilverSmileChileno wrote:User is the Wife, she said "my man"

Whoops. My apologies.

MMG

Does the acrylic part of a retainer sit right on the palate? If so Lynn, is this uncomfortable? The reason I ask is that I just had a Nance appliance removed today and my palate is quite sore and very tender and doesn't seem to be nearly as healthy as it should be. How does the palate breathe properly when wearing a retainer 24/7?

Hi...

I was told last April when I had my brace removed that Id need to wear my essix for a year 24/7 then always at night...and Ive taken this as forever.

I must admit I dont wear it all through the day anymore its just awkward @ work taking it out... putting it in...everytime I wanted a drink or something but I do wear it all the time at home (when not eating of course!) and I never go to bed without it!

Ive not had any problems with my extraction gaps opening or anything...but I notice when I put my retainer in after not wearing it all day that it feels tight...so Im thinking that I will always need to wear it

So I will....dont want to risk my teeth moving so much that my retainer wont fit or my teeth go back to how they used to be

My children (both early 20s) were told by the ortho to wear their retainers at night for life. They think it's a pain, but then they see me back in braces at age 51. So I think they have learned from my mistake. I will definitely be in my retainers at night for life.

you should wear your retainers as long as you want your teeth to be straight.

Just like dieting. You can't start eating what you want when you dropped down to the size you want to be. You'll go back to your "pre-treatment" condition.

When I finish my treatment, my ortho recommends wearing the hawley retainer at night for the first 6 months. The next 6 months I will need to wear it 24/7. I always expected to wear it 24/7 for the first few months and then nightly after that. I really like the idea of not having anything in my mouth during the day immediately after treatment but it seems to be reversed from what I originally thought.

Anyone else hear similar recommendations from their ortho?

I am back in braces for the second time because my teeth moved so much. My ortho now says I will have to have some sort of a retainer for life since my teeth like to move. I decided on a Lingual retainer where they will permanently bond a wire behind the teeth. I like this idea because it is always there and very little maintenance. Also you can't see it.