Metal Mouth Message Board

I’ve had my braces off for 3 stinking weeks and I lost my retainer! I won’t be able to see my orthodontist until next Thursday as that is the soonest they said they can get me in. It’ll take a few days after that to get my retainer, which means I will go 1-2 weeks without a retainer! I am FREAKING out right now. What can I do to stop my teeth from moving? Do you think it would be possible for me to call another orthodontist and see if they could make me a new retainer? I cannot believe I lost that thing already. I am going to order 2 retainers this time just in case this ever happens again. But in the meantime, I am absolutely terrified that my teeth are going to move.... I spent SO much money on these suckers I hate thinking that I just ruined all that work by losing my retainer!

Oh no you poor thing!

I don't have any experience with retainers but just wanted to say that I hope your teeth will be ok.
Can't hurt to ring elsewhere.
How scary!

You're far better off to deal with your ortho vs going somewhere else now. My suggestion would be to call your ortho's office and leave a message for them to call you back. Speak directly with your ortho, explain what happened and your concern. If it's detrimental to your overall outcome, your ortho will "override" the scheduling ladies and get you in faster on an emergency basis. If it's not a concern, they will put your fears to rest so you don't worry about it. Cry if you have to but speak directly with your own doctor about it, not the ladies at the desk.

kathydell wrote:You're far better off to deal with your ortho vs going somewhere else now. My suggestion would be to call your ortho's office and leave a message for them to call you back. Speak directly with your ortho, explain what happened and your concern. If it's detrimental to your overall outcome, your ortho will "override" the scheduling ladies and get you in faster on an emergency basis. If it's not a concern, they will put your fears to rest so you don't worry about it. Cry if you have to but speak directly with your own doctor about it, not the ladies at the desk.

Thank you! That is exactly what I did and he had me come in right away this morning to get impressions done for a temporary retainer that I can pick up tomorrow and he's sending my replacement retainer order off to the lab so I can pick it up on Tuesday. What a relief!

Whew! Glad you got it straightened out quickly.

Now I know that I will definitely order an extra Essix for my uppers when I'm debraced!!!

Yeah, before you posted saying you now had a temporary, I was going to say that most ortho offices can fabricate at least a temporary retainer in a few minutes. (The equipment required is trivial...) But I see you now know that first-hand.

How did you lose your retainers?

JillD wrote:How did you lose your retainers?

Well, I left it on the kitchen counter while I was eating dinner then after dinner I went to take a shower. After my shower, I went to grab my retainer and it was gone! I assumed my husband accidentally threw it away because he took out the garbage while I was in the shower. We looked through the garbage and couldn't find it in there, but I still kind of thought it was probably in there just hidden under gross stuff.

I went today to pick up my temporary retainer and it totally did not fit at. all. I was distraught because I learned today that my orthodontist is moving out of state and I will have to wait until October 15th to get a new permanent retainer. This temporary one is supposed to last me until then. I have now gone 36 hours without wearing a retainer and I am freaking out. I decided to search through the garbage again for my retainer and it definitely was not there which means it was somewhere in the house for sure. I turned my house upside down looking for it and guess what?!

I found my retainer!

It was under the stove. My cats must have found it on the counter and batted it under the stove. I am SO relieved! I cleaned it off really good and stuck it back in my mouth. It is tight, but it still fits.

Lesson learned you guys! Do not leave your retainer ANYWHERE except your mouth or your retainer case!