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.
peppy wrote:My ortho is only giving me permanent retainers. I wanted Essix ones for the night too, but he told me that it won't make any difference. In fact, the repeated effort of taking them out and putting them back in might dislodge the bonded retainer.
I'm so confused. I'm desperate for my teeth to not relapse. Do I just trust what he's telling me and stick with the bonded retainer? Are they reliable?
Arrrrrgh!
Peppy, I just got my 6ms off and dentist has given me bonded retainers and Essix for top and bottom. She said to wear them in the evenings around the house and at night. I've noticed that they are a little tighter in the evening when i put them in then they are when i take them out in the morning. There is obviously a little shifting going on throughout the day but this could just be my case.
For peace of mind i'd get the removable retainers too. Would be handy for if you are away and the bonded retainer breaks. You may never need them but if it will put your mind at ease
I have an upper and lower bonded flat metal retainer for two years now for an open bite. It spans from canine to canine on the top and bottom and it took about a month for it to feel normal, but it has keep my bite in place. I have a friend that tried it and it didn't work for them since the bottom canines were touching the retainer on the top, but it worked for me. I was really worried about retention but so far so good.
peppy wrote:My ortho is only giving me permanent retainers. I wanted Essix ones for the night too, but he told me that it won't make any difference. In fact, the repeated effort of taking them out and putting them back in might dislodge the bonded retainer.
I'm so confused. I'm desperate for my teeth to not relapse. Do I just trust what he's telling me and stick with the bonded retainer? Are they reliable?
Arrrrrgh!
From my time being on this board I have always read that having a bonded retainer without a removable retainer there is nothing to retain the back teeth (premolars and molars). My orthodontist said similar to yours, he wanted to give me a bonded only on the lower 6 teeth but I insisted on having a lower removable retainer too to retain the premolars and molars, especially seeing as during my treatment I had a lot of movement with those particular teeth and did not want any relapse due to lack of retainer after spending 33 months in braces. I had to pay for the extra retainer but I didn't mind at the time because it put my mind at ease. I remember before I asked for the removable retainer my ortho told me the back teeth (premolars and molars) do not tend to move after braces, well the truth is mine did move in only 4 days of having my braces removed (a space started to open up). I can't speak for everyone, maybe every one is different but in my case I would say I need all my teeth to be retained after the movement I had in 4 days waiting for my retainers.
Braces: Metal fixed upper and lower Estimated treatment time: 18-24 months Braces Removed: August 2013 (after 33 months in braces) Retainers: Upper & lower essix and lower bonded My Story / Before & After photos
I requested a permanent upper retainer after my first round of braces because I haaaated the way the Hawley retainer affected my speech. Unfortunately, it was a bad idea in my case because my bottom teeth kept slamming into the glue holding the retainer in place and loosening it. No idea if there was something off about my bite that was causing this... After about 3 or 4 visits to the ortho to redo the glue, I eventually gave up and stop caring about it, thinking my teeth wouldn't shift anyway. Well, they did, and I'm about to start my second round of braces. I was young and stupid and wasted a lot of money because of my stubbornness. I definitely won't be getting a permanent one this time.
This is the question I am looking for an answer to. My debrace date is December 16, 2013. My ortho said I will have a permanent retainer on the bottom which is good because I have no missing teeth on the bottom. I think I should have a permanent retainer on top due to a missing tooth on top left in front of molar and I don't want my teeth to shift because there's no tooth there. At this point I've spent so much I really don't have it right now for a crown or implant. Would an upper permanent retainer prevent shift of upper teeth due to missing tooth
Normally the fixed upper lingual retainers only encompass the six teeth in front and wouldn't help your situation. However, maybe your ortho can rig up something permanent to maintain the space until you can afford an implant.
Thanks plugnickel69. He's going to have to "rig" something to hols that space. Going to word it to my ortho exactly as you worded it in your post. Thanks so much.
xanidu2012 wrote:Thanks plugnickel69. He's going to have to "rig" something to hols that space. Going to word it to my ortho exactly as you worded it in your post. Thanks so much.
In addition to my upper and lower fixed lingual retainers, I have wires on the outside connecting each canine to the adjacent premolar, keeping them in place for a period of time. The canines had been severely rotated and the premolars uprighted and rotated. I don't see why they can't do something similar for you with the two teeth surrounding the space using something to keep the opening from contracting.
I have upper and lower fixed retainers and essix retainers which I practically wear all day long for now, 2months after debracing. My teeth are quite prone to relapse, I had a small gap forming between my canine and the molar during the first week after the brace was removed till I had the essix even though I had the fixed retainer.
I'm very much concerned about keeping the area around the fixed retainer clean and free from plaque. I never eat between meals and wash my teeth soon after I eat. Still feeling sort of afraid to bite into any food so as not to break the fixed retainers. After three years three months in braces because of the fixed retainers I'm still feeling stressed out......
Do you fuss about your fixed retainers? Or do you eat as if you didn't have them at all?
I have a bonded retainer on my top front 6 teeth. I also have a removable retainer which I have to wear 12 hours overnight. I eat what I want and have particularly enjoyed biting into whole apples again since my brace was removed. I should be having my 6 month post braces check up soon, so will let you know if my ortho thinks I have done any damage to the bonded retainer.
Jem
Sectional brace with Damon clear brackets fitted to front 6 upper teeth 3 January 2012
Brackets added to premolars 2 April 2012
Estimated treatment time originally 6-9 months. Brace removed on 22 July 2013 after 18 months and 19 days
Now enjoying bonded upper retainer plus part time essix/hawley( I have both)
Have fixed upper retainers (6 teeth) and fixed lower (8 teeth), plus bonded wires on the outside connecting each canine to it's neighboring bicuspid. I bite and eat anything I want and do not worry nor has anything broken in the 5 months since debanding. You should not have to worry.
