Metal Mouth Message Board

How many hours should one wear the Essix retainer? The ortho assistant told me I can only wear it at night but I'm afraid to do so. Therefore I've been wearing it 24/7 except when eating/brushing.

My ortho instructed me to wear nights only. I was worried at first because so many people here are told to wear 24/7 for the first few months, up to a year. At first I wore mine for 12 hours or more a day, but have backed off on that to usually about 10, sometimes 6. My teeth have not moved, my retainer still feels tight when I put it in (tight like it should, not tight like it's moving things!) and at my most recent ortho check up I was told everything still looks great!

If you are uncomfortable though, call your ortho and double check. Wearing it extra won't hurt you though!

mine suggested nights only, but I wear it 24/7 and remove it only for eating. Can't hurt to wear it more than recommended! I do take it out if I go out on a date or a night on the town with the girls.

I agree on the suggestion that you can't really wear your Essix too much. My ortho said nights only as well - but everyone else seems to be 24/7 for at least the first couple of weeks if not the whole year. I'm paranoid because I just looked at an office mate's teeth who said she didn't like the Essix because they "warped" and rubbed her gums. She didn't say so, but I got the feeling she didn't wear them because I can't even tell she had braces. I know I've heard they don't warp except in hot water, so I'm not inclined to believe her on that, but it was enough the make me march right into my office and decide to wear mine 24/7 if only for the first couple of months.

I've sort of explained my ortho's wishy-washy instructions here before - that he recommends to his younger patients to wear their essix retainer 24/7 for 6 months, but then he added that he only wore his own nightly, and to just wear mine "as much as I can, at least every night." SO, because of the influence of this board I did wear mine 24/7 for a few weeks then slowly tapered off to see how it would feel. I used to feel a lot of pressure when I left my retainer out for longer periods of time, but now when I put my retainer in before bed it just feels nice and snug like it should, so I think I'm doing OK (It's now been 4 months). It never hurts to check with your ortho, but wearing it more certainly won't do you harm!

How many of you are in bonded retainers as well?

I was surprized that I will be in essix nights only but I guess because I will have bonded on both arches as well

How many of you are in bonded retainers as well?

I was surprized that I will be in essix nights only but I guess because I will have bonded on both arches as well

How many of you are in bonded retainers as well?

I was surprized that I will be in essix nights only but I guess because I will have bonded on both arches as well

Hand goes up - bonded up and down, front six.

I'm in essix nights only too.

I am only in essix and do not have a bonded retainer.

There is a lady in my office who just got her braces off yesterday and she has an essix retainer as well. She looks so great, I'm so happy for her! Her instructions were 24/7 for 3 weeks, nightly after that for several months, then to "play it by ear" for the rest of her life. Meaning I think she will still wear it to bed nightly, but she might get by with just wearing it a few nights a week.

I got my braces off as well. It's been 5 days. My treatment took 6 months and 13 days for upper arch. Now I have an upper bonded retainer and essix retainer. My ortho adviced me to wear my essix every night at the beginning of the treatment. But after he got my braces off he adviced me to wear 24/7 in the first month. But it's hard to wear it all the time. I wear it 8 hours per day at least. No problem so far. Anyone having it like I do here?

My braces are schedule to be removed next week. The instructions that I received regarding the Essix retainers were to wear them only 8-12 only. Mostly at night. If the retainer is worn more than 12 hours, it could cause an open bite.

I would double check with your orthodontist to verify how to wear the retainer. Every case is different.

Gennie50

Wore my Essex retainer 24/7 for the first 6 months out of braces, then 12 hours each day for the next 6 months. Now, one year out of braces, I'm down to nightly wear. I'm to wear my retainer every night for life.