What retainer am I going to get?

[coolestSamantha]

I've had my braces 3 years from yesturday.. I'm getting my braces off in like 6 months but i want to know what retainer i'm going to get. I really want both of them to be removable ( the top and bottom ) I hate the idea of having a perment ones after wearing braces for SO LONG. And I know I'm going to wear my retainer bc it would be a nightmare to me if my teeth moved back.

[mariahfromchicago]

Only the ortho knows for sure!
There are pluses and minuses on both types
Removable: There is a type with a bar in front of your teeth, you choose a colour for this type and there is a type that is clear and surrounds the teeth (no colour choice)

Samantha - Most orthos don't use permanent ones for the top teeth.

Also another thing to do is observe other patients who are having follow up visits (retainers), if you see some at your adjustments. Don't hesitate to ask though.

Yes, that is horrible, 3 years wasted!
- mariah

[Zoso]

Bonded retainers aren't all that bad - nowhere near the bulk of braces and not at all uncomfortable; just a little bit of a nuisance for flossing. One down side is that they are only placed on a limited subset of the teeth - 3-3 (that is canine to canine) is most common, and even just 2-2 (lateral to lateral) sometimes, especially on the upper arch. Though they are more common on the lower arch, they are indeed used on the uppers sometimes, and can be very good in certain scenarios - for example if a patient has had impacted canines brought down, and these start to move upwards again, a bonded retainer is an excellent way to arrest that. And a bonded retainer can also be good if a tooth is rotating when using other retention methods.

In terms of the most common removable retainers, the Hawley (an acrylic plate, moulded to the palate and right up to the backs of the teeth, with a wire that runs in front of the teeth) is often seen as preferable to the thermoplastic moulded trays (commonly referred to as "Essix" although this is just a brand name, just as the term "googling" has become a catch-all term for searching, even if someone is using Yahoo search!) in terms of function, but many orthos will use the trays as a matter of course, recognising that many patients prefer not to have to wear a visible retainer. The trays are also a poor choice if the patient has been treated for a posterior open bite, as they can tend to exacerbate any tendency for relapse in that case.

My advice to you, Samantha, echoes that of Mariah: just ask your ortho what he has in mind, and let him know your preferences. But do listen if he has a strong preference for a particular retainer for you based on what treatment you've had.

[coolestSamantha]

I just really want to removable retainers.... I would die is i had to have a perment one... even on the bottom. I like the look of retainers even with the peice of metal across the front.... I've been dreaming on retainers since day 1 of getting braces which like i said earlier was 3 years ago.... Another thing... I'm super shy- like byond the shy you probably know. I don't think I've ever even said hi to my ortho... let alone tell him what I think or care....

[Zoso]

A lot of orthodontists these days have a web site and list an email address that patients can use for enquiries. Since you say you're too shy to ask him face to face, perhaps you could send a short email? Unless there is some particular reason that he feels you might need a bonded retainer, my bet is that he'll be happy enough to give you a removable type, especially as you clearly understand the importance of proper retainer wear.

[coolestSamantha]

I want to try that but first i'll ask my parents, maybe they don't want me talking to orth ppl

[Sunny]

Good luck with getting your retainers Samantha.

The ortho's I work with, get there shyest patient's to talk to them, by involving them in their treatment. It's great to observe their chairside manner and the confidence these patients gain.

[mariahfromchicago]

Tip: See what the other patients get. I saw most people get the metal bar type for both upper and lower, so that is what I think I am going to get.

[zeocin]

Your orthodontist's choice of retainer for you will depend on how much your teeth move, how much 'memory' they have, and how much expansion of your arches you had during treatment.

Fixed bonded retainers tend to be used for patients whose teeth have a lot of 'memory', i.e. show a tendency to move back towards their starting positions, or if teeth were de-rotated. If your teeth have a strong tendency to revert back to where they started, even a dilligently-worn removable retainer will struggle to hold the teeth in place. Essix retainers have become very popular but are not such a good choice for patients who had a lot of expansion, or where settling or final 'tweaking' of the teeth after the braces come off are required.

Sure, you can express a preference, but your orthodontist wouldn't push for a fixed retainer unless they felt you really needed it. I think ultimately you have to trust your ortho.

[Sunny]

Mostly retainer choice is about the personal preference of the ortho. Sometimes it is necessary to take into account other factors, but mostly these are to do with patient comfort and compliance.

Fixed retainers are good for retaining a few front teeth ... upper and lower. They also have a good record with gaps, but then so do both essix and hawley type retainers.

I think it's important to ask your orthodontist why they've chosen a certain type of retainer and tell your ortho if you're not happy with their decision, as this will give your ortho the chance to explain why they prefer this type of retainer. Then the most important part for you, is to remember that some retainer wear is required for life! All teeth have memory and teeth that have been moved using orthodontic procedures will usually try to return to their original positions. Factor into that, the continued movement of teeth for as long as you're alive, and the importance of continued retainer wear for some part of every week, is the only way teeth can be retained in their finished position.

[Zoso]

I think if most orthos were going purely on personal choice we'd be seeing a lot more patients vehemently complaining about their orthodontist's choice of retainers for them, since I would assume that any who wanted the very best retention option would be likely to be foisting combinations of Hawleys and spring retainers on us. Of course, since "Essix" can be fabricated in house by many practitioners, this can make them a very cost-effective choice (which undoubtedly could influence some doctors) and they tend to be preferred by a lot of patients who do not want to deal with visible retainers after so long in braces.

Zeocin had the right of it that bonded retainers are an excellent choice where teeth have been de-rotated, and they are also a great option where teeth have been brought through some considerable vertical distance into the arch (if you think about the degrees of freedom over which a Hawley or "Essix" has a measure of control, it makes sense that in the vertical dimension the bonded retainer will be superior) Another point not raised is that "Essix" type retainers are a poor choice where an open bite has been treated, as they can tend to contribute to a tendency for that condition to relapse.

I agree though that this is a great topic for discussion with your ortho. It may be that he is offering one type of retainer because it is what he has found in the long run to be acceptible to most of his patients, but he may in fact prefer another type if he knew you were willing to comply with its wear. On the other hand, as Zeocin noted, it may be that he has strong reasons for his choice of retention in your case, and you would be better off to go with the plan; but at least if you know why then a less than totally palatible plan will probably be more bearable.