Hawley retainer with a lingual bow?

Message

#1 Post by **frankwhardy** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 11:59 am

I'm a class III (underbite) case and I'm wondering if it's possible to have a Hawley retainer made for the upper arch with a lingual bow wire instead of the usual labial bow? My upper incisors, especially the laterals, have a very strong tendency to relapse by moving in the rearward direction (I know from having had a first set of braces as a teenager) and they are therefore needing to have force exerted from their lingual side. (I'd like to avoid having a bonded upper retainer, which would be the other option.)

Thanks for any help!
Frank

#2 Post by **frankwhardy** » Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:16 pm

As a followup to my original question, I'm wondering if as an alternative to having a lingual wire added to a Hawely retainer, whether the acrylic palate portion of the Hawley retainer can be made to extend down the lingual (rear) surfaces of the upper incisors in order to exert the necessary forward force to prevent those teeth from migrating/tipping backwards? In otherwords, does the acrylic portion of a Hawley retainer normally only cover the palate, or does it also extend up/down behind each tooth as well? (I'm not able to tell from any of the photos that I've seen.)

Thanks,
Frank

#3 Post by **stRaighteR** » Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:56 pm

hi, i have never seen a hawley retainer that extends further than the palate, but I suppose they could make one. Have u ever tried an essix retainer?

#4 Post by **leah** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:27 pm

Hi, My upper hawley reatiner extneds almost to the bottom of my top teeth. Ortho says it so the top teeth cant move back since they have the tendency to relapse that way....... ask your Ortho about it... huh I thought that was normal? what do i know though....

best wishes,
Leah