I never expected the retainer to hurt!

[always quiet]

I had braces for 7 years, way back in the days when you didn't just have the "train tracks"....I think I had the cars and conductor as well! I remember getting them off (top and bottom at the same time) and getting the retainer. I don't remember any real discomfort with that part of the process. My son was in agony last night! He said it felt like he had clamps on his top teeth! I made him pudding for a snack, gave him some tylenol pm at bedtime and gave him orajel to use when he needed.

Is this common nowadays? I remember being in that kind of pain each and every time I went to the orthodonist. He only had discomfort once during the past 2 1/2 yrs.....wasn't expecting it to hurt NOW!!

 

[cheeringmom]

My kids hated their retainers too. But the misery does end and they get used to it. Just make sure he wears it. Otherwise you'll be back to square one again. Keep the tylenol flowing for a few days. He will get used to it. If not, call your ortho! Lots of luck

 

[goofy4tink]

Every once in awhile my dd's retainer will bother her. She started with the palate expander, then progressed to top braces. This at the age of 8! She got the braces off, started her retainer. Now, at 10 1/2, she has lost her last baby tooth and has to have full impressions done again and xrays. They need to see where we go from here. I'm sure we'll be going the 'brace-face' route again.

 

[cheeringmom]

goofy4tink, we did it twice too. The second time around costs more than the first!!

 

[goofy4tink]

Originally posted by cheeringmom
goofy4tink, we did it twice too. The second time around costs more than the first!!

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by cheeringmom
Just make sure he wears it. Otherwise you'll be back to square one again. Keep the tylenol flowing for a few days. He will get used to it. If not, call your ortho! Lots of luck

ditto!

if they don't wear it - their teeth will shift and they'll be looking at crooked teeth all over again.

As much as my mother/father yelled, my brother NEVER wore his. Just after he graduated from college he wanted to straighten out his teeth some more and went to my parents - "Heck NO!" they said - "we paid the first time and YOU didn't follow the doc's directions - this time YOU pay."

and he did...and he didn't like that bill at all.

 

[cheeringmom]

Originally posted by stinkerbelle
ditto!

if they don't wear it - their teeth will shift and they'll be looking at crooked teeth all over again.

As much as my mother/father yelled, my brother NEVER wore his. Just after he graduated from college he wanted to straighten out his teeth some more and went to my parents - "Heck NO!" they said - "we paid the first time and YOU didn't follow the doc's directions - this time YOU pay."

and he did...and he didn't like that bill at all.

smart parents!!

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I remember them being uncomfortable at times. I stopped wearing it when I almost choked to death one night. It dislodged itself and got stuck at the back of my mouth. I woke up and couldn't breathe. Traumatized me for life.

 

[chesirechik]

Mine were really uncomfortable, especially my bottom one. I wore them as instructed and my bottom teeth still shifted a bit.

 

[Keli]

It's been a year now and my dd's retainer still hurts every time she puts it in for the night. She's actually had to start wearing it during the day some because she's gotten into the habbit of flicking it off of her teeth during the night with her tongue and just holding it in her mouth. I'm sure that is because it is hurting her.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by chesirechik
Mine were really uncomfortable, especially my bottom one. I wore them as instructed and my bottom teeth still shifted a bit.

My bottom is just a bar across my teeth and has been cemented into place since I got my braces off...the summer before 8th grade. So I was, what, 13ish?

I'm 27...sucker is still in there. I broke it once in high school and my ortho (who passed away about 6 years ago) replaced it. If it breaks now, my dentist will remove it for me...but otherwise, it's pretty permanent.

makes flossing IMPOSSIBLE though

 

[bigbabyblues]

I got my braces off in January, and yes, the retainer hurt for awhile. Now it doesn't bother me, unless I leave it out for awhile then put it back in.

Hope he gets better!

 

[AeroKiss13]

The saddest thing about me having a retainer is that I got my braces off 4 years ago - I still have to wear the retainer because my front two teeth on the top won't stay closed.

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

I have 2 retainers because it helps reduce the pain from my TMJ. My second retainer hurts to wear so I went back to my first one. I have 2 because with my first one I actually bit through it and I have holes in it but it is more comfortable to me and they can't get any other retainer to fit as well.

Make sure he follows directions and wears it or else it will really hurt. I stopped wearing my bottom retainer a year after I got my braces off (when I should have been wearing them at night) and a week went by and I tried to put them in and the pain was horrible. I never wore the bottom ones again because it hurt to bad and I would take it out in my sleep. Always follow doctors orders, Lesson well learned!!

 

[sissybells]

Now I am nervous again. I get my braces off tomorrow and I am sooo excited. I have done and will do everything the Dr. says so I hope the pain does stop after awhile and that it won't hurt as much if you do what the Dr. says. I guess I will just go with the flow but I do know it surely can't be as bad as having the braces on can it? I mean the constant food in them after a meal, and how much of a hassle it is to floss with them on. I swear it takes me at least 5 minutes to floss these things. I just hope it isn't this bad for everyone although I do hate that all of you had problems. <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_1_200.gif' alt='Goofy' border=0></a>

 

[monarchsfan16]

Originally posted by AeroKiss13
The saddest thing about me having a retainer is that I got my braces off 4 years ago - I still have to wear the retainer because my front two teeth on the top won't stay closed.

I got my braces off 3 years ago (seems like less time than that) when I was 14. The ortho says I have to wear my retainers until my mid 20's . Definitely can understand that one.
And yes, the retainers can definitely hurt. Mine used to gag me pretty badly too, and even now if I'm the least bit sick I physically cannot wear them. Putting them in caused me to throw up once. Needless to say I don't wear them if I don't feel well. The pain does go away, once the teeth stop moving around a lot. The braces actually (the dentist told me this) cause the bone to turn into jelly almost. Really soft. So the teeth move around easily. For the first 6 months or so after I got my braces off I can remember being able to wiggle my teeth. And since I had lost all my baby teeth by then that wasn't reassuring. As the bone hardens again, the teeth move less and it hurts less to put the retainers in. Remember, the retainers move the teeth back to the original position. It WILL get better.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Wow! All this retainer talk has me jealous, as I have another two years of my "three-year sentence" until I get my braces off!

When I do get them off, I will have to wear upper and lower (or a permanent lower) retainers full-time for 1-2 years, and then at night for the rest of my life! Boy, the price we pay for that perfect smile!!!

<img src="http://home.att.net/~disneysue/hugsmall3.gif">

 

[Fire14]

My bottom "fixed" retainer seemed tight to me for about the first week after I got it, after that I never really noticed it. My top one still feels tight for first hour after putting it in but i only wear mine once in awhile.

I've had my braces off for about 5 yrs now and I can say it was some of the best money my parents ever spent on me.

 

[Beth76]

I had braces for 2 years about 15 years ago. I do remember the retainer hurting. Actually, up until about a year ago I had recurring dreams about the retainer. I have it in my mouth and it hurts so bad, but I can't take it out. All I can do pop it off my teeth and hold it in my mouth. It's a very weird dream that I had frequently. I guess I had a bad retainer experience.

 

[always quiet]

It doesn't seem to be bothering him as badly today. He only needed to take tylenol once yesterday. It does take him a few tries before he gets it placed correctly. His teeth look so much better. I am quite happy with the work the orthodontist did. Now to make sure that the wisdom teeth are removed before they come in..........no room for them!!