question about retainers

[altinure]

i have an odd number of top teeth. my right lateral inscisor just never grew in. as a result, they're creating a space for an implant to be put in. when my braces come off, i'll be given a retainer with a fake tooth attached that i will have to wear at all times for two years. afterwords, i am able to get my implant. my question is this: would it be too much to ask for a new retainer when i get my implant in, so that i have something to wear at night? i don't know if this would be asking too much from my orthodontist, but i'm really paranoid about relapse, and i'd prefer to just wear a retainer at night the rest of my life, so i don't have any relapse.

thanks in advance, dr. j.

ps. my orthodontist doesn't like permanent bottom retainers. i was wondering what your opinion was on removable ones? i really have perfect bottom teeth. the only reason i got bottom braces was because he wanted to open my bite more to correct my overjet. my bite won't relapse if i don't have a permanent retainer in, will it? also, do you leave the removeable bottom retainers in when you eat?

thanks.

[dr.j]

OK:
I think you will probably have to pay for a new upper retainer with a new "flipper" on it when the implant is placed. I do not see why one cannot be fabricated to work around the healing cap and implant.

I use lower fixed retainers most of the time. Just b/c my office would otherwise have alot of relapse. Folks just are not diligent with removable retainer wear. Removables are more cleansible. Sometimes a patient has a high plaque score and are not candidates for fixed. Sometmes the referring dentist may prefer his/her patients do not have them and the ortho complies. Lastly, some orthos do not have a great system for placing fixed retainers. Until recently, I was not real pleased with mine until I made a great hire and a great ortho assistant showed me a much easier system with more predictable results.
Talk to your doc.

Dr.J