Hawley retainer question

[francis29]

TIA,

I was de-braced on Wednesday and supposed to pick up my Hawley retainer next week (8 days after braces off). But, today my Ortho's assistant called to tell me that the retainer company said the Ortho didn't get enough material in my mold to make my retainer, and due to Ortho being closed today, I will have to come back on Monday when they are open to have another mold taken and my retainer won't be ready until the 21st. Leaving me without a retainer on the teeth for 2 full weeks.

How fast can problems creep up in the 2 weeks I will be without a retainer? I was to get the retainer in 8 days from debrace, now its 14 days because they screwed up not getting enough for the proper mold impression.

Thanks!

Frances

[Bullfighter]

TIA,

I was de-braced on Wednesday and supposed to pick up my Hawley retainer next week (8 days after braces off). But, today my Ortho's assistant called to tell me that the retainer company said the Ortho didn't get enough material in my mold to make my retainer, and due to Ortho being closed today, I will have to come back on Monday when they are open to have another mold taken and my retainer won't be ready until the 21st. Leaving me without a retainer on the teeth for 2 full weeks.

How fast can problems creep up in the 2 weeks I will be without a retainer? I was to get the retainer in 8 days from debrace, now its 14 days because they screwed up not getting enough for the proper mold impression.

Thanks!

Frances

My ortho did a temporary essix that I picked up a few hours after being de-braced. They took impressions immediately after removing my braces, made the essix(es) in the office, and I got them 3-4 hours later. Then I got my Hawleys (upper and lower) two weeks later. I wouldn't want to go 2 weeks without. The period right after de-banding is probably when your teeth are least stable.

I would ask whether they can take impressions and do a temporary essix for upper and lower right away.

[francis29]

Thank you for your response!

I am only debraced on top the bottoms have another 4-6 weeks for stubborn gaps.

I asked the ortho's assistant yesterday if I could have the Essix made to use until the Hawley was ready bc the retainer co said they had enough of the mold to make an Essix but not the Hawley. I told assistant I could pick up the Essix asap it was done for something to use until we got the new impressions and the Hawley, but she said no they don't offer both retainers, it was one or the other, and if I got the Essix in addition to the Hawley it would cost another $225, but they don't recommend using both.

I told assistant that I was worried that making molds of my teeth 5 days after debanding then waiting two weeks for the Hawley was going to ruin my results and worried about teeth shifting and she said, 'sorry, nothing we can do, we didn't get enough in the impression and we are closed today (yesterday) and we will make the molds Monday (5 days after debanding) and waiting two weeks for the Hawley should be fine. And if I had a problem I could talk to the ortho about it.

Should be fine isn't really good enough as this is my 3rd time in braces (fixed as a teen, failed Invisalign at 35 and fixed at 42), and this costing me $6,500.

I am looking at my teeth every minute worried they are moving and worried about taking molds 5 days after debanding and making molds on teeth that have been brace free for 5 days. Makes no sense that this is happening and I will never go back into braces again. So...

Can the teeth move that much in 5 days before making my Hawley impressions?

TIA!!!

[Bullfighter]

If your ortho can fit your Hawleys two weeks after de-banding, maybe it's not a problem.

Mine scheduled two appointments the same day because he didn't want me to go 2 weeks without retainers. No extra costs to me.

[francis29]

I think my Hawley will fit two weeks after being debanded, only because we are making the impressions tomorrow on 5 days de braced teeth, and I can tell my teeth have shifted. I do not want a retainer made with teeth that have shifted and been debanded for 5 days. I want the retainer made from the impressions made right after I was debanded, the one the ortho assistant didn't get right, and that can't happen now. So, I am not sure what to do. I feel like my teeth are shifting already and am furious to have to make molds for a retainer taken 5 days after debanding when my result is no longer perfect.

Thanks!

[Robot Teeth]

Personally, I would make as big a deal as necessary in order to make sure I was properly taken care of. You are spending too much to have someone act like they care so little.

[francis29]

Robot teeth,

I don't know what I can do? The mold was taken incorrectly. I cannot get a Hawley retainer made from the mold they took after de banding. They screwed up and are not even offering me the Essix that CAN be made from that impression. The Assistant said I will have to pay $225 for the Essix for just a week of use then I will get the Hawley (made 5 days after de banding).

I am reading every page of this naked tooth board and if anything it doesn't seem that the teeth can move THAT much in the 5 days before I can get my mold and if anything bc its a Hawley if a tooth pops out of place the ortho can tweek the wire but ... it is super frustrating that the assistants error has cost me this much aggravation when this was supposed to be a joyous time and my teeth finally straight but it has been upset by her negligence.

I wonder if I should demand the essix tomorrow for free to tide me over until my hawley is made? The ortho said the retainer co. had enough impression in the mold to make the essix. If they try to charge me $225 for it, it will be very uncomfortable because I don't like confrontation and there seems to be no way to make this right at this point.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE!

[Bullfighter]

I think my Hawley will fit two weeks after being debanded, only because we are making the impressions tomorrow on 5 days de braced teeth, and I can tell my teeth have shifted. I do not want a retainer made with teeth that have shifted and been debanded for 5 days. I want the retainer made from the impressions made right after I was debanded, the one the ortho assistant didn't get right, and that can't happen now. So, I am not sure what to do. I feel like my teeth are shifting already and am furious to have to make molds for a retainer taken 5 days after debanding when my result is no longer perfect.

Thanks!

Realistically, your options are (1) to stay the course, get your Hawley fitted and let your orthodontist finish the job. He/she can fine tune your teeth with a Hawley. Maybe the nature of your treatment was such that the major tooth movement happened a while ago so things are fairly stable.

Or, you could (2) ask your orthdontist to put you back into braces, or (3) go to another orthodontist.

Not having seen your before/after/now photos, and not being an ortho, I don't know whether your teeth are actually shifting and I suspect you don't either. I think now is a bad time to be revisiting your choice of orthdontist, so would vote for option 1.

[francis29]

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... G_3188.jpg (before)

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd35 ... 27aspx.jpg (after)

Issues were minor overcrowding/fang and I was out of braces (tops) in 6 months. Bite is slightly over bite 3mms and I wasn't getting into extractions to perfect that.

I went to make a new impression today, and asked for an Essix to be made ASAP of the original mold and the ortho agreed to the Essix until the Hawley is ready then he will tweak the Hawley as ortho saw the gap opening up btwn front upper and the tooth next to it. My fear is the two front teeth tipping inwards again which was to me so ugly and seeing such a wonderful rounded feminine arch Wednesday, I don't want to lose that as I have been in braces 3 times already and have never had that rounded look I have been seeking.

Thank you so much for you help. Finding another ortho at this point I just can't deal with and my son is still in tx with our ortho. All I wanted was the freaking mold taken and the retainer made and to move on from this braces chapter of my life.

Thank you! Frances