How much are retainers after braces?

[MrsPete]

Most will not even tell you about perm. retainers. I did initially inquire but was discouraged because of the difficulty to clean around them.

I had a permanant retainer on the bottom originally; I didn't think they did them for top teeth. It was very simple: literally just a piece of wire attached behind the teeth (invisible to others). After a while, mine came loose and poked me painfully (and, of course, it happened at the worst possible time), and I asked for a removable type for the replacement.

Negatives:
A permanant retainer makes flossing impossible; thus it makes cleaning more difficult.
It's there all the time; you feel it with your teeth the same way you feel the braces with your lips. Eating is still somewhat hampered, though much, much less than the actual braces.
They CAN break or come lose -- mine did.
They interfere with dental x-rays (like many people, I had my wisdom teeth pulled right after my braces were removed, and I remember the dentist commenting on this).
You can't enter the military wearing a permanant retainer (a high school friend had to have his removed before accepting an ROTC scholarship).

Positives:
You can't take it off or lose it, which is safer for a teen who might not be so responsible.

 

[Straitlover]

I
Negatives:
A permanant retainer makes flossing impossible; thus it makes cleaning more difficult.

Not so for me. I have permanent upper and lower retainers (also a removable upper I wear at night). I just have to use the blue floss threaders just like I did w/ the braces. My upper is attached to each tooth, so I have to thread each tooth. However, my bottom retainer is just attahed at the ends, so I just use the threader at the one tooth at the end. I can then pull up on on end and slide it over to the next tooth. The molars and premolars top and bottom aren't connected to the retainer, so those are just reglarly flossed. Flossing is waaay quicker now that when I had the braces on and only just a little bit longer than before treatment.

Only problem I have had is one tooth started shifting right away, and it hurts some when I put my removable retainer on at night. All my retainers were included in my braces cost. I will ahve to ahve a new removable one made soon when I have my crown put on. Don't know if I will have to pay for that one or not, we will see.

 

[bettyann29]

I would think it depends on the orthodontist.. DD16 had hers covered under insurance and they paid in full.. she recently lost it and we are having it replaced next week.. $200- we are paying full price