Have retainers improved in recent years?

[Lillers]

I posted this message on the general forum yesterday and someone suggested I post it here as well, so here goes:

I just ran into a friend I haven't seen in a while. Long story short, this person is relentlessly negative (hence I haven't seen her in a while) and, after I'd told her my braces should (fingers crossed) come off this summer, she replied with an eye-rolling "Yeah. And then you get to wear an appliance."

She's brought up this topic in the past, no doubt because she despises her own retainer -- but it's the same one she's been wearing for a good ten years, as far as I know. It's one of those plate-under-roof-of-mouth contraptions, which I admit doesn't sound appealing.

I guess I'm really hoping my own retainer experience won't suck as much as hers did (and continues to do). Am I right in thinking that there are various types of retainers to chose from and they aren't all heinously uncomfortable?
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[serendipity]

Lillers - I think retainers have become more comfortable. I think the world of braces is always moving forward, just what they can do now compared to what they couldn't do in the past is amazing. When I was wearing my braces my orthodontist told me that braces (or at least the ones that he works with) are much smaller and neater than braces used to be in the past and he has had alot of positive comments from parents (whose kids are in braces) that they look so much better than when they were in braces. I suspose if braces are making great improvements then retainers are too. I'm not sure when essix retainers were invented but I'm pretty sure it would be within the last 10 years if not more recently than that.

I was really worried about the retainer part of braces but its actually so much better than I thought it was going to be (I'm in essix retainers).

Good luck with your retainer stage despite what some people say I believe retainers are soooooo much better than braces.

~serendipity

[Lillers]

Thank you so much, Serendipity -- yours is exactly the sort of response I'd hoped for, i.e. very reassuring.

I've worn a nightguard in the past, so I'm really hoping for Essix cuz they should be a piece of cake to get used to by comparison.