Another braces question, concerning the use of a retainer

[luvflorida]

Is it usually necessary to use a retainer after the braces come off? Anyone NOT have to use one?

 

[goin2disneyagain]

My braces were removed 17 years ago and I never had a retainer. I was supposed to but my Orthodontist bought out the practice in the middle of my treatment and he didn't do what he was supposed to do. Luckily for me I have had extremely little movement of my teeth. I have only noticed an extremely slight amount of movement in the last 2 years. My teeth are still perfectly straight, I still get a lot of compliments on how straight my teeth are. The slight movement I see is in my bite not that my teeth are crooked. No one else but me can even see that minor shift in my bite.

 

[Tina]

Don't risk it. At 42 years old, my DH is about to go into his THIRD set of braces because he didn't wear his retainer. He vows to wear it this time! He'd better. Its costing us a fortune!!

 

[pumba]

top teeth moved a little......but his bottom teeth has a permanent retainer that the orthodontist put on ....and it is still there and those are perfect......he had them done at age 14 and that was twenty years ago

 

[crz4mm2]

I had just a retainer when I was a kid. wore it till it broke right before I got married. As time went on, my teeth moved back apart and out (had a bad overbite- thumb sucker-AND BIG gap between front teeth). Age 40 had braces. Only took 9 months to move my teeth. Have had top and bottom retainers ever since and will probably always have to wear them or the teeth will shift again. I wear them faithfully EVERY night. Can even feel my teeth start to move if I am without the retainers for too long in the night(if up late etc)....
DD has retainers too and wears them every night.

 

[sissybells]

I just got my retainers last week. It's really not that bad, but I am a pretty diciplined person when it comes to my doctor telling me what I need to do. I would rather wear the retainers than have braces. My husband stopped wearing his retainer and his bottom teeth are getting really crooked. But his top teeth are still straight. I just wouldn't risk it. They cost to much money to just let them go and risk having to get the braces put back on.

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[vettechick99]

definitely important to wear them. I have two friends who didn't wear theirs and had braces twice. but teeth love to go back to where they originally were, and it really only takes one day for them to start.

I just got my braces off a year ago and my doc told me to wear my bottom retainer at night and my top all the time. well i made it through one day with that top retainer in so I just put them in at night. That seems to work for me, but if I miss a night, it's a little uncomfortable the next day. And if I ever miss two days in a row, I almost need Tylenol PM to sleep!

 

[Lynn CC]

We all had braces as a young adult! I had a retainer, so did DH. DS17 does too. I threw mine out when I was in my 20's but I wish I kept it. I didn't know you could wear it for life.
I wouldn't risk not wearing it atleast during bedtime hours for the first couple of years after getting your braces off.

 

[sugermouse]

Don't risk it! they will put braces back on you... wear them. (atleast at night)

 

[monarchsfan16]

The teeth move really fast. There have been nights when I've forgotten to wear my retainers and when I put them in the next night it hurts pretty bad because my teeth have started to move. Part of this is because my 12 year molars are FINALLY coming in (6 years late), so there's less space in my mouth, but everyone I've talked to has had the same problem. Even those who have all their teeth. My ortho says I'll have to wear my retainers into my mid 20's but I bet it'll be longer. He told me to use my judgement. I was finally able to move down to every other night a couple months ago, and it's been over 3 years since I got my braces off.

 

[Deb in IA]

My sister-in-law, an orthodontist, says retainers should be worn after braces for the rest of your life.

 

[Fire14]

I've hard my braces off for years and still should wear my retainer .
Does anybody know if I could possibly get a new one made? Mine looks like it's been through a hurricane and I doubt it's even working like it should. I've moved, gotten married and not even sure my orthois still practicing.

 

[TalkisCheap]

I just got my braces off a few monthes ago(march to be exact) and I have three retainers right now(all permenant). I have one which is only on till next year. Besides that I have two which take the place of the ones that go in at night and then you take out in the morning. They're much more practical after my sister kept losing hers, and you never forget to wear them because they're always there. Also, they don't hurt, and you can't see them. They're great...I love them!! I was bummed at first about getting them, but these are awesome!!!

 

[mom2grace]

This is so funny!

I had braces as a pre-teen, wore a retainer for a while. I do not have a retainer now (I am 33). My bottom teeth have moved back together and are a little crooked, I think if I were a child now, they would pull a tooth or two. But, they really look fine, and I know DD and DS will both need braces, so I'll put my $$ into their mouths!


Anyway, I frequently have NIGHTMARES about having my retainer in and not being able to get it out! LOL!!!! Anyone else?!

 

[bigbabyblues]

I got my braces off in January (I'm 27), and I was supposed to wear my retainers all the time for the first 6 months, then at night after that for the rest of my life. I've made it to the "only at night" stage, and I do notice a little bit or soreness when I first put them back in because my teeth have started to move through the day; nothing I can see though. I'd say wear them at night, the braces are so expensive, and it would be an awful waste to go through the braces and treatment, then not wear the retainer at all and still have crooked teeth!

Fire14-I think you can have a new retainer made, although I'm sure you'd have to pay for it by now, probably been too long to be included in the cost of your treatment. My SIL looked into getting a new one, they told her they'd just take the molds again then make the retainer, same as last time.

 

[Fire14]

Ok Thanks for reply I'll have to call the ortho office and see what they say. If nothing else I guess I could just contact and ortho down here in ohio and go that route.

 

[Galahad]

DS's is in retainers and his orthodontist says it is a rest-of-your-life thing.

 

[MickeysMommy]

I got braces when I was a teen (now 28) and had to wear the retainers all the time for 6 months then just at night. When I went to college I worked in a dental office where the orthodontist did the permanent retainers and had them put in. The BEST money I ever spent. Definitely wear the retainers and if at all possible get the permanent ones. Much less hassle and no worry about breaking them. It feels weird for the first couple of days but then you don't even know you have them.