Hawley and essix retainers Pro's/Con's

Message

#1 Post by **Shelby014** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 4:15 pm

If you have a hawley retainer i was wondering what designs you have on your retainer, and if they sparkles or design made then more uncomfortable.

I am about 4-5 mnths away from getting my retainers, and i have started wondering about how they feel, if you have a spit problem, are they hard to keep clean etc etc.

I did a search to see which retainer people preferred, but it said that the topic no longer existed

So any info that you can give me on either retainer's would be much appreciated because i think i am going to ask my ortho about my options at my next app. (april 4) because i want to have enough time to make the right decision, seeing as i'll have to wear mine 24/7 for a YEAR

, and i wouldn't want to make the wrong decision:D

Thanks much
Shelby

#2 Post by **Shelby014** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:20 pm

In my ortho's office he gives everyone the choice between essix or hawley, unless your case is really hard to retainer, then he'll pick

#3 Post by **Shelby014** » Sun Mar 19, 2006 5:34 pm

sorry i had a couple of typos in that sentence. First i meant if you had a really hard case to retain he would pick the right retainer for you

#4 Post by **TeenQueen** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 3:16 pm

I have the hawley retainer on the bottom and the essix on the top. I like the essix since it is clear, no one can tell I have it in, however it is sometimes difficult to talk, I have a slight lisp. I have worn them for a little over a month and talking has gotten a little easier but I still have a slight lisp. I do have a sparkles design on my bottom retainer, I don't think it makes a difference in comfort level with what design you go with. I thought since I had the choice why not pick something fun. As for keeping them clean my ortho said I had to scrub them with a toothbrush once a day....no toothpaste since that would scratch the essix retainer. I also put them in denture cleaner, my ortho recommended Efferdent. Hope some of this info helped. I do have to say the retainers do seem like a little more work than the braces, since I have to take them out each time I eat and immediately brush my teeth to put the retainers back in ( I have to wear them 24/7 right now), but they are soooo much better than braces!

#5 Post by **Diona** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 4:06 pm

I am getting my braces off in a couple of weeks (woohoo!!!

) and I will be getting both essix and hawley retainers. Essix for the day and hawleys for nighttime. While I am really excited about getting my braces off, I am very nervous about not being able to talk properly (especially at work!

). But as this is the second time round for me, I will be wearing my braces 24/7 for as long as it takes!

Does anyone know if it is easier to talk in essix's or hawley's? Or is it pretty much the same?

#6 Post by **Shelby014** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:25 pm

I am in the band and i found the most adorable hawley top retainer design, the background is white with some black notes going right across the middle, and it has purple sparkles all over it(my touch, i am in love with purple

), sooo cute!! I think (if i decide to get hawley's) that the bottom is going to be rainbow

I don't really care if you can see a wire across my teeth or not, i mean you really cant see it anywayz. The essix seem really fragile, and i bet that they have to be replaced way more often then hawley's, and i grind my teeth a bit at night, so i might accidentally grind holes in them.

So anyone who already has either retainer, do you have some first hand experience on how hard both types are to talk in etc etc.
Thanks to anyone who replies!!
Shelby

#7 Post by **Paparazzi** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:36 pm

Yea I have been wearing hawleys lower and upper 24/7 for almost three years now. They will definately keep your teeth in place but they will feel incredibly bulky in your mouth. The first week you will lisp significantly but it gets betters over time. You also will gag a fair amount until you get used to having them in your mouth all the time. I still believe they are better than essix retainers because I have heard from my friends several relapse complaints with essix retainers. Its a question of comfort vs minimal relapse effect I guess. I would gow with Hawley's but that's just from my experience. Any additional questions feel free to drop me a pm.

Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:18 pm

At one point I have had top and bottom Essix for 24/7 wear and top and bottom Hawleys, and I prefer the Hawleys. My original Hawley's broke, the original ortho had retired and a new one replaced them with Essix, I got fed up with the Essix and went back to Hawleys. The Essix was inferior in my opinion because:
1. I had a minor relapse on both the upper and lower jaws
2. When my teeth came together in the Essix, there was a slight separation of my teeth, since they cover the whole tooth. This became more painful over time. It hurt in my temples and at the back of my jaws.
3. They got cloudy and were impossible to get as clean as new again.

With the Hawley, the annoyance of the plates went away over time, the lisp went away, and nobody notices or says anything about the wire across the teeth. I will have the gaps which developed in the essix retainer fixed with the Hawley because they can be used in minor tooth movements. I don't have any designs because that makes them thicker, and who's gonna see?

Website · #9 Post by **Kell** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 7:27 pm

I am very interested in these comments. My ortho said I would get an Essix retainer on top. I think this is just what they give to adults. I really think I am going to ask to discuss the possibility getting a Hawley retainer instead and at least find out his reasons for choosing one over the other. I'm not sure why but the thought of wearing something that completely covers my teeth is not appealing to me even if it is clear.

I don't know anyone with a Hawley retainer and I really want to see what one looks like on. Does anyone have a link to a picture of a Hawley retainer being worn? I found some pictures of an Essix being worn but can't find the Hawley. All the pictures I saw were just of the retainer itself.

#10 Post by **Shelby014** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:22 pm

I have heard that essix retainers can cause tmj probs, and can open up your bite. I have also heard of relapse in essix retainers as well. If anyone has a link to a site where someone is actually wearing a hawley retainer in the pic i would love to see it just to see how it looks, cuz all of my friends have essix

Does anyone know where you can find retainers designs for hawley's? I was just wondering if certain orthos let you pick from a bunch of designs or if your selection is limited.

I am also wondering how bad you lisp with a hawley, i have heard that it can be pretty horrible, and i talk fast anyways, so that is really my only real concern for the hawley's.

Sorry for asking so many questions, i guess that i am really excited about getting retainers/braces off so soon!!
Thanks everyone,
Shelby

Website · #11 Post by **Kell** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:57 pm

Shelby014 wrote:IIf anyone has a link to a site where someone is actually wearing a hawley retainer in the pic i would love to see it just to see how it looks, cuz all of my friends have essix

I wanted to see a picture too. I found a small picture on this site http://www.westchesterortho.com/retainers.htm Look at the top of the page beside the word retainer. That is the only picture I could find.

I don't have a link to designs but when I was looking for a picture I saw some designs. Just do a google search and you should be able to find a lot of choices.

#12 Post by **Shelby014** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 4:46 pm

Thanks much kell for the site, cuz i found a really good website that had lots of designs, but of course i want to see more

You can't really see the retainer can you, its almost invisible(which make me happy lolz), but those little poinky things that stick up at your canine teeth would hurt your gums wouldn't they? Hmmm........
Thanks much everyone
Shelby

Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:11 pm

Those are bends in the wire, they don't hurt at all.

#14 Post by **Shelby014** » Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:54 pm

oic, so they don't touch your gums, huh in the pic it really looks like they touch, maybe you have to be in person or something

(could you imagine pokin around in a person who has a retainer in's mouth?)LoLz.

#15 Post by **Shelby014** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:32 pm

i'm happier now one of my girl friends just got her braces off, and she got hawley's so i've been able to ask all sorts of questions about them. She said that they were very comfortable to wear, and she can talk without a very bad lisp at all, so now i am very optimistic

!!!
thanks for all the replies
Shelby