Tooth Positioner

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#1 Post by **sugarplum59** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:44 pm

Anyone ever experienced a tooth positioner between brace removal and retainers? I was debraced on March 27th and was the proud recipient of this horrible thing...which I had NO IDEA I was getting.

The requested wear is 24 hours a day for one week except when eating and brushing. You can't talk because the upper and lower portion is one solid piece similar to a mouth guard used for sports. Makes working in an office a rather daunting task. It's also killing the hinges of my jaw. There's no way I can wear this as much as they want me to.

On the up side...if I get recruited for a football game or boxing match...I'm ready to roll as I'll be wearing my rubber mouth guard...probably...

#2 Post by **retainerdesigner** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 9:20 am

Tooth positioners were very popular back in the day, when braces were made up of bands on every tooth. THey employed the tooth positioner to close the spaces the bands caused after you removed them. THen after the spaces were closed they took impressions for hawley. But with the invention of bonded brackets to the front of each tooth, the tooth positioner has lost popularity because you dont have the spaces anymore when you get debanded.
So now when you get a positioner it is just for some minor tooth movement that needs to be done before you get your retainer.
I have only made one before, its pretty cool how you make it. But Im afraid its becoming a lost art. Good riddance too from what I here from the people who have to wear one.
Sounds like your are at least wearing yours!
and don't be afraid of getting in a boxing match!
Cade

YouTube · #3 Post by **retainerjoe** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 9:50 am

i kinda have what your talking about for night wear , check out my pictures see if it's what you have

#4 Post by **jennielee81** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 3:11 pm

when braces were made up of bands on every tooth

Looks like it...

This is fascinating though! My ortho used a "bio-form" essex type retainer to move a few teeth in the end. I wore that for about 8 weeks before that tooth was close to being in line.

Is it that we're just so anxious to get the braces off that ortho's think we're willing to put up with this contraption for a week or more? I think I'd rather have my braces for a month more... Easy for me to say, I'm done with them now.

#5 Post by **lionfish** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 8:00 pm

Anyone ever experienced a tooth positioner between brace removal and retainers? I was debraced on March 27th and was the proud recipient of this horrible thing...which I had NO IDEA I was getting.

Yes, I had one, knew it was coming well in advance so there were no surprises there. I wore it FT for 48 hours, other than eating/brushing. This coincided with a weekend, thank goodness. I then went nights only for 2 months before getting retainers.

It's not the most pleasant device, but it does work.

#6 Post by **retainerdesigner** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:02 pm

Meryaten wrote: Cade - was this only a tooth-positioner-needing issue back when all the teeth were banded?

Yes, I believe so, If I remember my history from class. I believe this is why the tooth positioner was invented. If not invented them gain much popularity. It was the best way to close all the gaps all at once and under control. There are different reasons now for using a tooth positioner. I have seen some Orthos give one to young kids whose teeth are not bad enough to go into braces, but not good left alone. Changes happen quick with young kids, they can totally change their bite in a matter of weeks!

#7 Post by **jenstrom** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:52 pm

I have a positioner as well. It's a pain in the rear end. I have bonded top and bottom retainers and was told to wear the positioner a couple of hours in the evening and then to sleep in. The problem I'm having is that I take out the positioner mid sleep...I wake up every morning with it put away on the nightstand.
Not sure if it's making a difference...we'll see at my next month's appointment.

#8 Post by **jennielee81** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:06 pm

My daughter did this with her retainer!

#9 Post by **pokergirl** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 9:11 pm

I am getting my braces off May 12th and my ortho wants me to wear the positioner for two hours during the day off and on and then while I sleep. Is it getting any easier, sugarplum?

#10 Post by **cybersiren** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 12:33 pm

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to have one too. My ortho said that mine wasn't for spacing issues between my teeth but rather for the slight open space I have between my upper and lower jaws. In the beginning I had a bad open bite. He said that this method works especially well in open bite cases because it helps to retrain the jaws to fit together better during the retention phase when everything is settling into place. I will have to wear mine for about 5 hours a day plus over night for around 2 months before I get my hawleys. My ortho claims that with his experiecen using the tooth positioner with the hawleys provides for a much more sucessful retention and less chance of relapse in the case of open bites and other jaw issues that regualr retainers can't address. I also knew in advance that I was getting mine so I'm pretty prepared for it.

#11 Post by **Banana1214** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:13 pm

I just got my braces off this morning and am now wearing a positioner. I hate it!!! It hurts so bad. It feels like the very beginning of braces, when all your teeth are moving at once and it just hurts everywhere. Ugh, I hope it gets better in a couple of days. I have to wear it for five hours/day and all night.

#12 Post by **lionfish** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 2:10 pm

Banana, you should find within a day or two that the positioner fits snugly over your teeth and there should be no pain after then.

#13 Post by **Banana1214** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:12 am

I've had the positioner a few days and it does not hurt anymore. It's just uncomfortable because it's hard to close my lips over it and I drool.

It also rubs my gums in some spots, which my ortho told me about beforehand and he said to come it to get it shaved down or something, but I think I'm going to give it another week and see how it goes. I will say that the thing is working and my bite already looks better!

#14 Post by **lionfish** » Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:20 pm

Glad that it's working for you. I remember drooling a fair bit at first and, yes, it's hard to close your lips over the positioner. But like everything with braces, it is something you can get used to.

#15 Post by **cybersiren** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:01 pm

OH my GAWD I hate, hate, HATE, this positioner! It hurts really bad and there are a couple spots where it really puts a lot of pressure on my gums. Like, they turn white when I bite into it. Should I be worried about this? I don't wanna cause any damage to my gums. There is also one tooth that bleeds when I bite down too. I think I'm gonna call my ortho on Monday just to be sure.

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