I was "brace and retainer free" for a whole glorious day yesterday until 3pm. That's when my ortho shoved these essex retainers in my mouth. :(
I can't speak without a lisp and they hurt like hell! I can't stand the way the plastic feels in my mouth and I feel even more geeky than I did with braces! I tried filing them down a little bit but it doesn't seem to have helped at all. I hope I can learn to live with these things for the next 8 weeks. Please tell me it gets better!
I HATE my retainers!
Moderator: bbsadmin
i hope thats what i getjaswi wrote:All the horror stories I hear of essix, I'm glad I'm getting hawleys.
i dont want those flimsy plastic things
Banded: January. 18th, 2007
De-Banding: Nov. 6th, 2008!
& Nov. 13th, 2008 ; pics soon.
Retainers
Lower Bonded Retainer
Olive Green:
Lower Hawley Retainer
Upper Hawley Retainer
Well, I don't have a horror story about Essix retainers. I've been wearing my upper Essix retainer for 18 months now, and I've been just fine with it. I wore it 24/7 for 2 weeks (as my ortho instructed) and I've been wearing it nightly since then. I've said this before - I actually prefer my upper Essix to my lower Hawley. The Hawley feels weirder to me. But, I realize this is personal preference. And, I like the fact that the Essix is a very consistent retainer. I feel like the fit of the Hawley changes some time - one day it was very loose and I was able to pop the retainer off with my tongue but the next day it seemed to fit tighter.
So, I think it's yet another case of personal preference. Count me with the people who like Essix-es.
So, I think it's yet another case of personal preference. Count me with the people who like Essix-es.
I was also worried about having essix after hearing some of the stories on here, but i havent found them too bad. Ive had them for about 10 days now top and bottom, tho i only have to wear them at night and as much as poss during the day not all the time.
Sure there not great, but its gotta be better to wear them then have your teeth move back in my opinion. My only problem with them is that im grinding my teeth on them, but im a grinder anyways so cant purely blame the essix.
Sure there not great, but its gotta be better to wear them then have your teeth move back in my opinion. My only problem with them is that im grinding my teeth on them, but im a grinder anyways so cant purely blame the essix.
Braces on 11th June 2006,~ BSSO and Wisdom tooth removal 11th February 2008,~ Plate Removal 14th May 2008,~ Braces off 28th August 2008.
http://adultwithbraces.blogspot.com/
I HATE my retainer!
I had an ortho appt today and received my new set of retainers. He referred to them as Hybrids. He said they are the newest type on the market. They are a combo of invisible retainer and a wired retainer together as one. It is clear over my teeth & has an acrylic inside that is very thin. When I have it in my mouth it is extremely comfortable and you cannot tell I am wearing a retainer. I guess you can look at it as a super invisible retainer or a wireless retainer. so far so good. I'll keep you posted....
I've only been wearing the Essix retainer for the past 2 days and I'm comfortable wearing them. They are easy to pop on bite tite to take off.I prefer the smooth feel of them instead of the Hawley wires in between each tooth curve and the having the roof of your mouth covered in that big acrylic piece.My teeth are still a little sore but I've been eating ,pears,cookies etc...so it's not that bad.
Gennel
Gennel
If you don't like the essix, ask your ortho if they can make you a hawley instead. I got my braces off quite awhile ago, before I thought the essix was a big deal but my ortho said a lot of people liked or preferred them. I told him that I didn't 
so he agreed that as a patient I would be wearing it and he wanted to give me something I'd wear.
Turns out it was a good thing, essix cannot be tweaked or 'activated', they are a static retainer only. I've actually had 3 different hawleys, one wraparound, one traditional with one spring (lateral shifted), and the one I still use with a second spring for my other lateral.
so he agreed that as a patient I would be wearing it and he wanted to give me something I'd wear.Turns out it was a good thing, essix cannot be tweaked or 'activated', they are a static retainer only. I've actually had 3 different hawleys, one wraparound, one traditional with one spring (lateral shifted), and the one I still use with a second spring for my other lateral.
Got mine off yesterday but got a bonded upper retainer right away...quite a surprise. Anyway, I had upper invisalign for a few months and hated it so I asked for Hawley retainers. THe ortho said to try the essix first with the bonded job and see how I like it. If it is not to my liking he'll switch me to a Hawley, but if I then decide to go back...there will be a charge (sounds reasonable to me.)
