Metal Mouth Message Board

My ortho has a patient who has been wearing hers at night for the past 27 years. He keeps telling her that she should be fine, probably doesn't need to keep wearing them. But she says it gives her "peace of mind".

So, he kind of acts like she's a nut for wearing them for so long, although in my consultation he definitely said "retainers at night for life". When I asked about this again after my debanding, he admitted that depending how well people wear them in the first 6 months, people usually lapse out of it completely after a year to a year and a half.

tokidoki - I can see how people might get slack in years to come as far as retainer wear goes...I think I will always wear my retainer at night or at least 80% of nights though once my teeth have "set".

I know personally I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I had a major relapse just out of sheer laziness to wear my retainer at night...but that's just me...

~serendipity~

tokidoki - I can see how people might get slack in years to come as far as retainer wear goes...I think I will always wear my retainer at night or at least 80% of nights though once my teeth have "set".

I know personally I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I had a major relapse just out of sheer laziness to wear my retainer at night...but that's just me...

~serendipity~

I'm currently in the 24/7 part of retainer wear, but the reality is that after my initial year of "setting," I'll be wearing my retainers every night for life. I'm a major tongue thruster and my night retainer has a tongue guard. If I don't wear it, I'd open my bite.

I've resigned myself to a life of nightly retainer wear because the alternative is worse. I am not going to wear braces again and I refuse to allow my teeth to shift. I love the way they look now and it took a lot to get them here.

If wearing my retainers at night for life is the price I have to pay, I'm happy to pay it.

My sister-in-law has been out of braces for 15 or 16 years and still wears her retainers every night. Her teeth are fabulous! I plan to do the same.