relapse advice needed

[mayaman]

Hi guys,
This is my first post but probably a very familiar tale to regulars here.
Six years ago, I got two upper teeth removed and a brace put on to correct a severely crowded mouth. After a year the brace worked well and my teeth were nearly flush.
I had a two week holiday coming up and asked the orthodontist to remove the brace [so I could have straight teeth on holiday]. He did and I got a retainer which I wore for a week or so before the holiday.
Unfortunately, once I was on holiday, I realised I had left my retainer back home.
When I returned back home, I found the retainer felt very tight and stupidly only persevered with it for a week or so after the holiday (and I only ever wore it at night as I wasn't told it had to be 24/7).
I gradually used the retainer less and less until I stopped using it.

Fast forward five years later and I found the retainer in my bathroom drawer, gave it a really good clean and put it on my teeth which are now about 75% of their pre-brace position.
The first couple of days really hurt but now I can wear it and bear it.

My questions are;
Will the retainer move my teeth back even a little? I can definitely feel pressure being exerted by the retainer.

Due to financial problems, I have no money at the moment to go back and get a new brace. When my retainer stops exerting meaningful pressure, could I take the retainer somewhere and get it adapted to hook elastics on and convert the retainer to a none permanent brace?

Thanks for reading.

And if you are reading this and are nearly at the stage of wearing a retainer.
Don't be stupid like me WEAR THE RETAINER 24/7 FOR AS LONG AS YOU ARE TOLD BY YOUR ORTHODONTIST!

[Sunny]

Hi Mayaman

If your retainer is still in the correct shape that it was in to keep your teeth in position, then it will try to force your teeth back into that position. Forcing teeth can damage both the roots of your teeth and your gums and is not recommended. If your teeth didn't have much change, it probable won't do a lot, but if they've moved a considerable amount, you are risking damage and this shouldn't be done without an orthodontist overseeing the progress, x-rays etc.

Since you've managed to get your retainer back on, hopefully that means that your teeth hadn't changed as much as you'd thought and all will be well. This being the case, you shouldn't need to do anything else (like adding hooks, elastics etc) other than wear your retainers till your teeth become stable again, then go to night wear for life.

As soon as you can afford it ... please make an appointment and have your teeth/bite checked by an ortho.

Don't be stupid like me WEAR THE RETAINER 24/7 FOR AS LONG AS YOU ARE TOLD BY YOUR ORTHODONTIST!

... great advice, but even more important is the night time wear for life!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck!

[appleortho]

mayaman,

Sunny's comments are very good. Good good advice. If you can fit into that retainer and the pain is not too severe, then you probably don't have as much shifting as you may have thought. I would wear the retainer as much as you can as your teeth shift back into place to the point where the teeth are not hurting or feel loose at all. Once that is all in place, I suggest the same as Sunny, that you just wear them at night (for life). Teeth will shift over time. Yesterday my blog was all about Retainers. You may learn a few things that will come to your aid. If you experience severe pain, then I would have a dental professional check things out. You don't want to cause undo damage to your gums and teeth.

Good luck and take care....