If you have finished with your orthodontic treatment and are wearing retainers (or will be soon), this is a special place to connect with others in your (enviable) situation. Ask a question or make a comment about life post-braces.
Sigh...I got my braces off about 2 weeks ago because they had been on almost 4 years and I had not been wearing my elastics to completely correct my bite on the left side. Right side is correct. My ortho told me the braces had to come off so that they dont start to do more harm than good to my teeth. Long story short, I moved 200 miles away from my ortho and trips were rather hard and sparse. (with a layoff, loss of insurance, and etc in between) None the less, I have my Hawleys in 24/7 like I am supposed to...
My question is, is there any way my retainers can help pull the last little bit over since I have to wear them 24/7 for the next 3 months and then every night forever? Is it unusual for an ortho to remove braces when they teeth are not "done" I like my smile, but I totally see where the bite is off...
HELP!
Orthos don't usually remove braces before the work is done, however, you admit to not wearing your elastics. Orthodontist require compliance from the patient. If they don't get it, there's not much they can do. It never hurts to ask if something can be corrected with a retainer, however my gut reaction is that the retainer will not be able to exert as much force as an elastic.
Why were you not wearing your elastics? It is hardly surprising that the treatment could not be completed if you were not being compliant. I know some small adjustments can be made with Hawleys to teeth but I wouldn't think they could correct your bite without the upper and lower being connected in some way.
I am sure somebody more knowledgeable will be along soon to help.
I hope someone can advise a little. If you ready my blog I got laid off after 5 years on the job and 1.5 years in braces, so I had to pay it all out of pocket, no pay, no elastics (when you run out) or visits
Sorry, I did not read your blog. Did your ortho really make you pay for each bag of elastics? That's really lame. Usually, if you run out, you just pop into the office (no appointment needed) to grab a few more bags.
I don't think anyone here is going to be able to tell you if your retainer is going to be able to fix your bite. I've personally only heard of them being able to fix minor issues. I don't think bite issues are minor. Just keep wearing your retainer and when you are able, visit your ortho again to ask what can be done.
