Advice about essix retainers

[emmalou290]

hi! my name is emma. i am new to this site and really would love any input on my gosh darn essix retainers...

i had one made awhile ago by my orthodontist. it worked well and gave me no pain that I can recall.

well, the retainer now has holes and i could tell it was time for a new one. i couldn't get into my orthodontist soon enough, and me being impatient, found a dentist who could.

the new retainer looks just fine, but i was suspicious so I never wore it and stuck with the one with all the holes. so I went back to my regular ortho for a new retainer fitting just last week because i just figured the one from the dentist wasn't good enough. (me being an anxious pessimist!)

before seeing the retainer he told me that yeah i probably needed a new one. but then when he saw the essix retainer i had made by the dentist, he said "Oh that's a pretty great fit." He put it on me, looked at it more, and said it is definitely fine.

So I have been wearing it for a week exactly. The past two days, however, one of my front teeth hurts really bad! I am so terrified that my teeth are moving. Should I keep wearing it to see if it goes away? Should I go back to the old retainer with the holes that doesn't cause pain?

The soonest I can get in that fits into MY schedule for a new retainer from the orthodontist is May 22nd. (Ugh I know, so far away, but my new job doesn't allow much leeway.)

What would all of your advice be? I'm such a nervous nelly about this.

[emmalou290]

I feel like such a child worrying about this! Sorry for double posting.. Just a little nervous sitting thinking about it.Pressing on the tooth with my tongue causes some serious soreness.

[ashesgap]

From what I've noticed it takes about a week for the Essix to loosen up. I hadn't had any pain for the last 3 months of braces, then quite a bit with the Essix retainers. Now that they're easier to get on and off I have no pain. Just watch your teeth, you'll see if they're moving. Make the appointment with the ortho, and see how you feel when you get in their.
I think the retention phase causes more anxiety than the braces ever did.

[emmalou290]

Okay, thanks for your advice. I'm just so scared because my two front teeth were the WORST! They were poking out of my mouth at a 45º angle. I'm not kidding! The fact that my front tooth is the one that is hurting from the new retainer is really scaring me.

I feel like an idiot calling the orthodontist again.. because what can they really help me with until I go in for my appointment in a month?