Retainer for life?

[jenjen]

Hi all,

I am entirely new to the idea of braces. I should have gotten train tracks when I was a teenager, my dentist recommended, but my mum stubbornly refused saying my mouth would grow...

Now I want to get invisalign. My younger sister had them and her teeth look great!

My only concern is the follow-up after the braces. Once my teeth are straightened, do I need to wear retainers for life?

How do people who have had braces and now wear retainers find this? This may sound silly, but does it impact on your relationship (ie: kissing) or even kill the mood when you put it in? Does it gross people out? I don't mean to sound so petty, but I want to seriously consider whether I am committed to a life of retainers etc. after invisalign.

Is it the case that you don't always need to use retainers? or is there an alternative (I think I heard something about a wire on the back of your teeth)?

[Phantom Muse]

Yes, retainers are for life! There are so many types of retainers; you are bound to find one that is comfortable for you.

My ortho has suggested going straight to nighttime wear (8-12 hours) when I am done with Invisalign, but it is more likely that I will spend the first three months 24/7, and another three months doing a slow wean, until at six months I'll be nighttime only. That is if my teeth cooperate! In other words, consider the retention time following the removal of braces as part of your active treatment. After that initial period of months, it is likely that you will only be dealing with retainers when you are sleeping, so it shouldn't interfere with your social life at all.

Permanent or bonded retainers are glued to the inside of your teeth and usually patients do not have to wear an additional tray retainer (although some on this forum do). The downside of them is that they can be (but not necessarily) more trouble to keep clean.

As you visit orthos for consultations, make a list of questions regarding retention, and they will happily share with you what they think will be best.

Good luck in making your decision!

[mikeg]

they are for life. keep them clean and you won't have a problem.

I get a slight lisp when I have them in so people around me always new

[Sunny]

Jenjen retainers are for life, but after a short period of full time wear, it's either every night or a few nights a week for life. Most other people you have contact with will never know you're using a retainer and surely if they're a 'real' person it won't bother them.

Many people wear glasses and/or contact lenses all day ... and they don't seem to bother others, some people have to wear a dental plate (with a tooth or two on it) or a bridge ... and they're mostly worn full time, and yet these people want to wear them and usually so do those close to them.

Kissing with braces does not affect your ability to kiss or affect any part of your relationship ... unless you let it.

It's good that you're thinking about this committment side of orthodontic treatment so seriously, as it would be a total waste of money to have treatment and then not wear your retainers for life. Teeth move in our gums for as long as we're alive ... and after orthodontic treatment has already moved them, it's been documented that they move even more quickly.

Good luck with weighing up the pros and cons and making the best decision for you!