Metal Mouth Message Board

when I got braces on I didn't think muc about retention, though I knew I would have to wear a retainer forever after.
Now w-8 months of braces to go- so psyched for when they come off- I realize I have made it so I need life long retention!
And all the options seem to be bad.
1.Bonded retainer is nice and easy and solid BUT
I hate metal in my mouth and do not want a metal mouth my whole life

2.Regular retainer- bulky and metalic

3.Essix retainer- may not hold my teeth strongly enough and will be bulky and uncomfy for every sleeping night of my life.

What to do?
Ribbond?
www.ribbond.com/indexuses.htm

I've got bonded retainers on both arches (6 teeth on each). I inquired as to how long they'd be there and was told typically between 2-5 years, but some people choose to keep them for life. Apart from slight modifications to my flossing routine, they are a non-issue for me.

I currently wear essix retainers on both arches nights only. I sleep like a baby. Truly, after a day or two you don't notice that they're even there.

I currently wear essix retainers on both arches nights only. I sleep like a baby. Truly, after a day or two you don't notice that they're even there.

So true, I have upper and lower essix retainers and wear them all day and night. They are so comfortable (once i filed down the edges with an emery board). At first they felt huge in my mouth and it was strange that my teeth didn't completely touch, but I'm quite used to it now and feel really odd and "naked" when I take them out.

Thanks Meryaten! I like my bonded retainer, too!

I don't mind my upper hawley either. It's comfey and purple!

I had an essex on the bottom for several months and I didn't mind it either...in total, retention isn't a problem at all for me.

I have essix upper and lower; they don't bother me at all. It took a few days to get used to them, but after that, it's been no big deal.

Whatever you get, you'll get used to!

I've been told by an assistant that I am most likely getting an essix, I am very excited! From pictures it seems pretty invisible! And sounds like the speech is almost not effected by them either, is that true?

And sounds like the speech is almost not effected by them either, is that true?

I had no problems with speech when I wore them FT.

It took me a couple days to get rid of my lisp with my essix, but i found out i was mostly lisping because my tongue was so uncomfortable against the edges. Not only did filing with an emery board make it more comfortable to wear, it made it easier to speak and i have no problems whatsoever now. I usually forget they are there and people are so impressed when they find out that i'm wearing a retainer at all.

They only thing I'm bummed about is that I won't get to pick out colors for a hawley retainer, haha
I'm truly jealous of the retainer colors thread!

SnowSara, I so hear you! It's so odd but as much as I want these things OFF NOW, I caught myself thinking that after they're gone I won't have anything to take care of and look after everyday. But I realized, I will have a retainer and probably for life! So I can have the joy in being naked but at the same time still be able to come on here and whine about having difficulty pulling out my retainer or asking if I can have soda with it (I know I can't just being hypothetical) and so on yay

I hear you, SinOnYourLips. And, sometimes, when you think that you and your retainers are getting along so well together, you fall and break your elbow and have to deal with your retainers with one hand. See my previous vent/whine!

I'm going to be getting my braces off very shortly (WOO!) and I'll be getting both kinds of retainers - my ortho said I'll do better with the essex during the day since I have to talk a lot at work (though I suspect he just wants to make sure I'll wear a retainer when I go out on the weekends) and I'm to wear the hawley the rest of the time for at least six months (then we'll see if I can go to nighttime wear) and I have a few questions for all of you ...

My son wears an expander/retainer now, so I know how to care for a hawley but I wonder if, because his retainer has the expander component, his speech is more affected then mine will be with regular hawley? The poor kid is really struggling with it.

For those of you that wear an essex ... I know you have to take it out to eat, but what about to drink? I usually have a glass of something next to me all the time (usually iced tea, hot tea, or coffee, but sometimes red wine) and I'm wondering if the essex is as likely to stain as, say, clear ligs are?

Speech is not affected for long with the hawley....if you wear it all the time, that is. If you don't wear it all the time, it will take longer for your speech to become more normal.

As for drinking with the essex. It is recommended to drink anything but water.

The tray can trap sugars and acids against your teeth if you're drinking anything regular or diet sodas or even tea and coffee. Hot beverages can warp the retainer plastic and cause it to misalign our teeth.

Not the best news, I'm sure, but I hope this helps.

MissDiana, I'm the same way - always have a beverage beside me of tea, coffee, or water. I only drink water with the essix in. When I'm sipping my tea or coffee I just take it out for awhile and then swish some water and put it back in when I'm finished, just as if I were eating a meal.

I did drink an iced latte with my essix in the other day and did not like how the liquid obviously got caught in there against my teeth. Gross, won't do that again.

Oh, for some reason it didn't even occur to me that liquid could get caught inside! EW!

I think, based on what both of you are saying, I'm going to just try to stick it out with the Hawley as much as possible.

I got my braces removed this morning at 9:40 and my speech is still very very challenged I should've known that this was going to be a problem when my ortho told me to sing in the car & read my favorite magazines aloud to get some practice.