If you have finished with your orthodontic treatment and are wearing retainers (or will be soon), this is a special place to connect with others in your (enviable) situation. Ask a question or make a comment about life post-braces.
I'm due to have my braces taken off on the 1st February . I've been told I'm going to have a bonded retainer on both bottom arches, and have a permanent retainer (not sure if it's going to be an Essix or Hawley).
I was wondering; I still have a small gap (2-3mm) on my right hand side from where my 2nd premolar was extracted. I'm guessing a small gap is still going to be there after my braces are removed. Will this be closed by the retainer?
It depends on if the mould was taken before there was a gap, like in my case, my gap formed after i got the mould a month or so before, so my retainer fixed it.
By "permanent retainer" do you mean a bonded retainer? Essix and Hawley are removable retainers, whereas a bonded retainer is attached directly to the back of your teeth. I didn't think a bonded retainer could close gaps, but the removable ones (especially the Hawley) can be tweaked to better fit your needs.
Braced Jan. 31, 2008
Sentenced to 24 months
Debraced Jan. 14, 2010!
Now wearing Essix retainer on top 24/7 with bonded lower
TXMommy wrote:By "permanent retainer" do you mean a bonded retainer? Essix and Hawley are removable retainers, whereas a bonded retainer is attached directly to the back of your teeth. I didn't think a bonded retainer could close gaps, but the removable ones (especially the Hawley) can be tweaked to better fit your needs.
Hey TXMommy,
I'm getting both a bonded retainer (to go behind the bottom and top front 6 teeth) and a Hawley I think. Is this quite common for adults?
I was told that the bottom bonded retainer is very common now. The top bonded retainer is not as common because your bottom teeth would hit the cement that holds it on. I got a bonded retainer on my upper central incisors only and a hawley retainer for the top and bottoms only got the bonded retainer on the front 6 teeth.
. I've been told I'm going to have a bonded retainer on both bottom arches, and have a permanent retainer (not sure if it's going to be an Essix or Hawley). 
