Scared to DEATH after reading the naked board!!

[Kittysopretty]

I get my braces off in...hee hee....41 hours!! BUT...the people over at the naked tooth board are saying how they HATE their retainers! They can't talk on the phone, some of them say life in braces was better compared to retainers! I don't even KNOW what kind of retainers I am getting on the bottom!!! I was too excited to care!


I am getting Essex on the top (like invisalign) everyone over there is saying they gag on them, etc.

For the bottom my ortho gave said "just a small little wire" and I think he said it would be permanant and behind the teeth.

Now I am skerred!!

[Kittysopretty]

Thanks for the encouragement, KK!

[iBorg]

I talked to a girl who had a Essex. She hated it the first few days. It felt unnatural and she had a lisp. Then she got used to it and it became second nature. Sorta like braces.

Last time I saw her she had a great smile. She didn't notice the retainer anymore and was thrilled she'd competled her treatment. She did not have a lisp either time I saw her with her retainer. She had great teeth.


Good luck and congrats!
Mike

[Clo]

I really can confirm what iBorg said.
I hated them in the beginning, they made me gag during about 2 days.
Then they kinda became a second nature and my teeth felt better when I wore
them (upper and lower Essix on all teeth). I was really astonished to experience
such a bad lisp in the beginning, but was equally surprised to see how quickly this
lisp got better. So, don't worry, and enjoy your big day !

[ghostmyimag3]

No matter how bad it is, you can look at it this way.
You wont have to feed dental floss through wires!!

[Lillers]

I remember reading of many who've found there retainers great after an initial adjustment period ... so be positive and be sure that you'll be one of those people!

I agree completely, KK, and that's the attitude I've adopted.

Although my own *big day* is some months away, I did get ahead of myself and read just enough of the Naked board to get all paranoid, Kitty, so I can relate. But then I read more of the board and found that yes indeed, people do get used to the retainers and end up very happy with their great new smiles.

I'm actually hoping to get the Essix retainers because I wore a night guard in my pre-brace days (yeah, that took some getting used to!), and I figure if I managed that, Essix retainers should be a piece of cake since they're way, waaay thinner.

Congratulations on getting *naked* – ENJOY!

[JoeMama]

Yes - try and stay focused on the positive!! Remember most good things are a little work. Think of how quickly you'll be able to clean your teeth, and all the things you can eat without them getting lodged. And if you really want to - you can take it out for a little while. AND how nice your smile will be... I'm jealous. Enjoy your day!

[Kittysopretty]

Thanks everyone! The support here is amazing!!! My ortho said I only have to wear my essex at night (even from day 1) but I'm worried about the bottom which I think will be permanent!

Oh well...today's the big day...why I am more nervous today than I was when I got these on is beyond me but I am excited, it has been a loooong hard road but worth every jagged peice of gravel I stepped on along the way!

[bbsadmin]

I think it just takes time to get used to any type of retainer. It took a whole month for me to get used to my Hawleys. I really hated them at first, too.

Try to enjoy your newly naked teeth and don't worry too much about the retainers. Congrats!

[Aquagirl910]

Dont worry about getting a retainer! it will take some time to get used to but having your braces off is much better!