Retainer hurts my gums!

[rasp88]

Hello everyone. I've finished with my invisalign treatment, and got my retainers. From what I read in the forums, this is an 'essix' style retainer?

I have a picture, but I can't post it

Compared to my aligners, the retainers look like a poorly made product. The aligners were cut nicely around the gums. The retainer is about 2 times the height of my last aligner, and the excess plastic on the bottom presses hard on my lower jaw gums.

I thought of using my last set of aligners instead, but I have "flossable" bonded retainers as well, and they do not fit anymore. What should I do?

[rhxy]

Hi, I think you should get your orthodontist to take a look at the fit. I have bonded retainers and have problems with my essix retainers as well. They cut into my lower jaw gums and I have to force them down to the extent that they bleed a bit. Will be calling the clinic for an appointment.

[rasp88]

Thank you rhxy. I will be calling my clinic tomorrow to ask for advice.

It's a small world, I'm from Singapore too

[rasp88]

I visited the clinic today, and a nurse helped me shorted the retainers. They feel much better now, but we shall see!

[rasp88]

After a few days of use, I'm happy with them. Not as nice as the invisalign trays, but I only need to wear them when I sleep.

[KUMonkeyMomma]

Some orthos/dentists, etc take the time to make sure they are cut around the teeth or at least shorter and smooth, etc if they come in rough or too "tall", etc.

I used invisalign for my braces and used my regular dentist as he was an authorized invisalign provider and had been with him for over 10 years and confident in his ability, etc - plus I didn't have to go elsewhere for the work after (I had some tooth bonding, gum removal, etc done after for aesthetic purposes). So because I had all this work done the day I finished invisalign, whatever retainers were provided by them would not have fit with all the work I had done, he made them in his office rather than take new impressions, send them off and wait for a retainer to come in which would have left me retainerless for a couple weeks and he (nor I) was comfortable with that. They make trays for tooth whitening and night guards, etc there as well, so has the equipment/product to do it. He made sure to trim them down and shape them to my teeth more like the invisalign trays were. My retainer trays are actually thicker than my invisalign trays were.