Worried about talking with retainers

[itsabouttime22]

Yay! My braces are finally coming off in two weeks after a much longer treatment than I was told. I'm so excited to get rid of these things, but now I'm starting to get worried about the retainers. I had to get Hawley ones which I didn't really want and I'm starting to freak out that I will always talk funny with them in. Im not sure how many people on here have experience with retainers but how long did it take you to be able to talk normally with them? Or did you ever talk normally with them? I didn't have much of a lisp when I got my braces but I'm assuming this will be worse!

Also, how long did you have to wear your retainers full time before you could just switch to nights? Is it a huge deal if I leave them out for a few hours here or there in the beginning?

I know that's a lot of questions, but any experiences or advice would be appreciated!

[Alrightscooby]

I had to get a retainer before my braces, just got the braces in yesterday but the retainer is grand after a few days! First day is the worse as long as you keep talking the lisp will go in just a few days! As for wearing it, a lot of my friends started having a few hours without it and let it turn to habit, some of their teeth moved over it! I'm my opinion your ortho will tell you how long and only they truly know. Everyone's teeth are different!

[JumpTheDitch]

I had a set of both Hawleys & Essix after braces about 5 years ago; Hawleys for night & Essix for day. I really didnt like the Essix, I found it a bit claustrophobic to have all of my teeth completely covered, & I felt very self-conscious wearing them (odd, I know). I also found it more 'spitty' than the Hawleys, & harder to speak clearly, though I know many people prefer them. We're all different I guess, lucky we have options!

My Hawleys had a thick clear strip of acrylic surrounding the front wire of the lower retainer (pics from my original debanding posts here :: http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtop ... 3&start=30 though the lower is upside down, so it's hard to see the acrylic band. Some discussion over which retainers were easier for speaking also).

My job at the time was 100% speech-based, it was critical that I could be understood clearly & there were no visual cues to help people understand me. Apart from repeating myself a little at first, and feeling quite awkward myself, all was fine & I managed ok. I can't remember how long I wore them 24/7 for, a few months I think, then religiously at nite. Right up until my first bub was born, at which point I got a little distracted. I wore retainers at night intermittently until last year actually, I only stopped when I was diagnosed with bite-related TMJD.

Good luck with your retainers, & your brand new debanded smile, you'll adapt quickly whichever retainers you have