Hawley Retainers -- Color Choice Typical?

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Website · #1 Post by **alexa** » Thu May 31, 2007 7:54 pm

Hello!

Now theoretically, I'm supposed to be getting debanded in July, so as you can imagine, I've been dying to know about what kind of retainers I will be fitted with when these puppies come off.

To add a bit of sunshine to my last trip to the ortho, I finally inquired about retainers. I asked, "Will I bet getting a Hawley when it is time for retainers?" My ortho mumbled some kind of affirmative answer while looking at my chart. I then asked, "Will I be able to choose the color of the acrylic, or does your lab only make them one specific color?" My ortho mumbled into my chart about me being able to put in an order and walked away.

I -think- her mumbling means I get to choose the color, which for some reason, is really important to me. I don't know, but I just really want to be able to choose the color of this new "accessory". I suppose it's much like wanting to sport colored ligs....it's just something that makes the situation a bit more fun.

I have a friend who just got her braces off and wasn't allowed to choose a color. Apparently her ortho's lab only makes them in clear plastic. She was very bummed out. This made me quite curious...curious enough to take a poll!

For those of you who have a Hawley retainer, were you given the option of choosing its aesthetics?

#2 Post by **sportsgrl97** » Thu May 31, 2007 9:29 pm

hey alexa,

i was able to pick what color i wanted and what design i wanted and if i wanted something written on it.... so i could have done million combinations if i wanted to...

of coarse me being to excited i didnt really put that much thought into it. i knew i didnt want the classic pink or clear so i went for the really pretty navy blue that i see-through. but if i could do it again, apparently they have a see-through green/ blue that is really pretty and i would get that with my name printed on it. i dont think i would go for a picture, but if i did i would just get the usa flag or something because no telling how long ill have to have it... i dont wanna have bugs bunny on my retainer in 10 years lol.

i have also always thought about getting their lime green that is glow-in-the-dark, thought that would be cool and obnoxious

michelle

#3 Post by **Anticipator** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:34 am

I was offered a choice after I asked if choices were available.

I was given a color and design pamphlet and picked the item closest to the one I had in mind.

In my case neon orange.

I am a little disappointed that it's actually a shade more muted than it looked on the brouchure, and I chose an opaque rather than transparent acrylic, so it's not all "cool and see through" but meh, it's fun, it's me.

And it's a tiiiiiiny bit visible, or at least my lower is, when I open my mouth up wide. Something to consider if you're concerned about having a small patch of colored acrylic flash behind your lower front teeth when out on the town in your retainers.

#4 Post by **momof2grlz** » Fri Jun 01, 2007 11:06 am

Since I was 40+ and had ceramic brackets, I was never brave enough to ask for colored ligs. I asked for blue acrylic for my hawley. If I hadn't made a point of asking, I would have gotten standard pink. Love my blue! My daughter's not in braces yet, but she's already said she wants a purple retainer (that's why I didn't pick purple).

Chris

Website · #5 Post by **alexa** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 10:57 am

I wonder if adults get that a lot...retainer colors are available, but because the patient is older, the options aren't presented. I bet that's what happened to my friend. She's in her early 20s and had ceramics on both arches. She did occasionally have colored ligs (after meeting me and realizing how much fun it is to stand around talking about what color you're gonna get instead of working...

), but I bet her ortho figured that since she chose ceramics, she probably wanted something a little more discrete.

Thanks for your responses...a glow in the dark retainer...or neon orange. Now those are bold. Awesomeness.

#6 Post by **Anticipator** » Sun Jun 03, 2007 3:50 pm

Meryaten wrote:Not sure I'd be bold enough for neon orange!

I went in thinking "they're behind your teeth, who will know or care?"

And for the most part that's true, with the exception of when I open my lower jaw fairly wide, you can see behind my teeth -- doesn't happen too frequently.

Colored retainers are still less visible than ligatures, and soon enough (hopefully) they'll be something I wear strictly at night.

Have fun with life. You don't get to live too many.

Website · #7 Post by **alexa** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 3:02 am

Not sure I'd be bold enough for neon orange!

Remember these:

I think I could hang with something in the bold category!

#8 Post by **platinum** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:01 pm

When I was a kid I had transparent retainer. It was awful, lower and upper retainer were gued together. It was only for night use though.
My activator was light red. Both were preparted by same lab, so there were colours in 80's already

Now,I was shown a catalog of colours for choosing my retainer. I took magnenta, because it was nearest of my mouth colour. One could have flowers, frogs, what have you on your retainer.

I saw a girl in train who had green retainer. It showed quite much when she was talking. I will opt for clear or magnenta when I will get my final retaines.

#9 Post by **jennielee81** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:42 pm

I had very similar selection as Maryaten. I chose purple with gold glitter. I love it!

I could have gotten a decal applied, but was overwhelmed with the choices so I didn't get a decal.

Here's to hoping you get a choice!! I know exactly how you feel. If i need to wear this thing for ever, I want it to be something I ordered....it's..MINE!

#10 Post by **Dark_angel** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 5:17 am

I get the feeling i wont get much of a choice and that my retaiers wil be NHS pink

#11 Post by **catbutt** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:41 am

I noticed the other day in the waiting room another patient looking through a catalog for hawley choices. I wasn't ever given a choice but I am guessing since I'm an adult, got clear braces, always got clear ligs, they assumed I would get the pink. I might have gone for sparkles or something but oh well I don't really care either way.

Website · #12 Post by **alexa** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 9:43 am

Damn, I still can't get over how totally rad those are!

#13 Post by **Meloho** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:42 pm

Gosh I wish I could have retainers like those - my ortho makes all his own appliances, so I bet he'll make the retainers too and I'll be stuck w/ mouth-colored pink. Oh well, it could be worse I guess...I'd rather pink than neon green.

Oh, a question about how the Hawleys are made too: How come there's no wire at the molars, just acrylic? Will they not move that direction?

#14 Post by **JumpTheDitch** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:02 pm

Any people here in Aus that have been offered colours/sparkles/decals for their retainers? I get the impression that our North American cousins are somewhat ahead of us in the 'fun' stakes, with glow-in-the-dark and cammoflage ligs. I suspect offering more 'fun' options for retainers might be more widely available over there

.

I'm hoping my ortho lets you have colours for retainers but he wasn't exactly forthcoming with the coloured ligs.

Fingers crossed, can't wait for my retainers

.

#15 Post by **Pepper** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 11:47 pm

Aw, man, I surely hope that I can choose a cool color... I'd like lime green with a peace sign if possible.