parmanent lower retainer and dentist refusal.

Message

#1 Post by **paramed1** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 3:12 pm

Hello,
I am about to be done with my last invisalign refinement- yay! While at the office today, I asked about getting a permanent retainer for the bottom teeth... my dentist refuses to place one, as he is concerned about teeth decay. Has anyone else had this dilemma? FYI.. The reason I am so insistent about this is my teeth are very tight on the bottom and will shift very easily. Also, has anyone had the flossable permanent retainer placed? and did it work out?

Thanks so much for the help!

Leigh

#2 Post by **alimommy1** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 9:43 pm

Many many people have permanent bonded retainers and no problems with tooth decay. If your dentist or ortho refuses, go see another for a consult and ask. I have a permanent lower bonded retainer and I've had it for years. I'm going to have it taken off soon though to have my teeth tipped/shifted a bit, but my ortho already assured me I can have a new bonded retainer put on when treatment is done. I hope you're able to find a dentist or ortho who is willing to give you a bonded. I'm surprised yours won't.

#3 Post by **drrick** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 8:34 am

Some docs dont use fixed rets.
It is usually more of a concern for hygiene/gum disease than tooth decay.

#4 Post by **sillyface** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 9:22 am

I asked the asst. about it at my emergency appt. this week and she said they typically don't do fixed retainers.

I'll be given an essix and if I have considerable difficulties wearing it, then we can discuss doing it. It's not that completely refuses but it's more of a last resort for him. He said that many of the dentists he's referred by (mine included) show concern with the hygiene aspect.

#5 Post by **alimommy1** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 1:58 pm

I remember being concerned with the hygiene aspect of it all at the end of my treatment originally, but my ortho didn't have those concerns about me. It was smaller and less noticable to my tongue than I thought it would be, and has held up great for 13 years. I had done my research in depth which pretty much concluded that the worse your teeth were prior to treatment, ie crowded, crooked, rotated, out of the arch, the more likely the chances of them going back that way after treatment, or TRYING to go back that way,even if you overcorrect them a bit. Since I had also been in a pretty bad accident and injured my jaw during treatment, my ortho thought the bonded would also serve as an additional way to make sure my teeth stayed anchored together. Front lowers are usually the teeth that shift first anyway, so anything to help prevent that is welcome.