Metal Mouth Message Board

Can you pls tell me some of the most comfortable retainer you've had?
I still have several months left to my treatment but I'm already thinking
about what kind of retainer to get.
Everyone seems to have some problem with their retainer so I thought I
ask the naked tooth member for an advice.
thanks.

I have upper and lower hawleys. They are very comfortable for me although sometimes they feel bulky ( mostly the top). I think if I had the essix retainers (clear plastic type) my tongue would be playing with the bottom edges. The acrylic part of the hawleys are smooth. The best part is that they are adjustable for tweaking teeth that move.

Before I got them I was very concerned about gagging and having all that acrylic in my mouth. When I first got them on they felt "just right"...no gagging (they don't cover that much of your palate like I imagined), just lisping and thats gone away pretty much.

With all honesty, I LOVE my Hawley retainer. When I first got it I wondered how in the world I was going to talk with it in, it took a few days of getting used to, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else. Initially it is a little bulky and it did cause me to have a lisp, but it really hasn't been that bad! I did not gag on it, it doesn't come close to the back of my mouth and I must say that it's well....pretty lol. I just have a fascination with pink that's all lol.

viewtopic.php?t=16514

I posted pictures of my retainer if you want to take a look.

And yes, another one here who is having a very comfortable (upper) Hawley.
I posted about it some days ago :

viewtopic.php?t=16954

I do not know if you read all my older posts, but I had Essix retainers before.
So I can really compare now. Yes, the Essix is less visible. But in my case there
was always "bubble-ish" saliva between my teeth and the inner surface of the
Essix. It was like my teeth were in some aquarium with some oxygen pump built in.
There was also gum surface that was in the retainer too, and that didn't feel right.
No, I prefer without any doubt my new Hawley. Yes, it is now a lot more visible that
I have a retainer, but somehow my teeth don't feel so trapped anymore. Because there
is only that wire that goes in front of the teeth, it feels more just like braces. One issue
though, I too have a very serious lisp. My Hawley has an inner spring and is therefor
quite bulky behind my front teeth. But it gets better everyday. I notice my family
members again understand what I say . And like Chris said, they are adjustable
a bit, Essix retainers not. So, I too can say that I love my Hawley, and that helps to
get motivated to wear it all the time, like I am supposed to do. Oh, and why did I get
this Hawley ? Because my Essix retainers could not prevent that my teeth shifted quite
a lot. The Hawley will not only do better, but even correct this unwanted movement,
hence this spring. Only got this Hawley 5 days ago, but it seems to work well.

I have an upper Hawley and a lower Essex. I will be getting a lower bonded retainer next month. (should have gotten that last Tuesday but because of a snow storm, they moved my appointment).

I really love the essex on the bottom. It does have the "aquarium bubble" thing going on like Clo expressed, but being on the bottom doesn't really show at all. It is SO comfortable that I have even been one bite into my lunch on a few occasions when I realized I was wearing it. My tongue does play with it a little, but why deny my tongue a little fun??

The Hawley on top is quite nice as well. I don't like the look of that fat wire on my teeth, but it is smooth, snug, comfy and I can talk in it with very little problem.

They both stay in place and don't gag me at all.

Basically, take everything positive that Clo, Chris, and Tasha wrote and I agree completely with them.

Good luck to you!!

My tongue does play with it a little, but why deny my tongue a little fun?? !!