Essix retainers

[kezzakattami]

Hi guys, Im new to this area of the forum, having been an avid Invisalign wearer for 8 months until October 09.

I have been wearing my Essix retainers for the past 5 months and I am seriously considering switching to permenant retainers because of the wear and tear of the Essix trays. Although theyre a lot more sturdy than Invisalign trays, they have about 4 cracks in and Im worried that soon they will be unfit to wear and I will lose some retention!

I found myself grinding and biting down on the trays in the early weeks as the thickness of the trays made me want to chomp on them!! I'm wondering if that started the weaknesses and hence the cracks have appeared.....

Does anyone here have any experience of essix ret's and the pro's and con's of switching from them to permenants? Thanks!

[Phantom Muse]

Hi Kezza,

I don't know that I can help you on this, but I will be following this thread with great interest!

My daughter has what her ortho calls a "light bite" and for her, the plastic retainers might actually cause problems with her bite (too much plastic and no contact between her actual teeth - which she needs to avoid opening her bite). Maybe you have a heavy bite, and the thicker plastic is just too much fun for your bite? That would make a Hawley or permanent retainer a better (and in the long run, cheaper) choice I would think.

In terms of actual retention, I think each sort of retainer has its pros and cons - permanent is always there and has to be attended to regularly; the plastic trays seem less durable and can mess with the bite; and the Hawley is the reason I didn't wear my retainer as a teenager - couldn't stand the look of it then...)

Looking forward to hearing more on the topic!

[livelavalive]

Essix retainers are awful in most areas. While they do keep teeth as straight as they were, wearing them opens my bite and makes me look like a caveman.

[Sunny]

Essix retainers have been proven to be one of the best. They are a harder version of the invisalign aligners, which confirms what most people expect ... they hold and hold teeth firmly.

Livelavalive you have confirmed why they're so good ...

While they do keep teeth as straight as they were, ...

For some people they're not the best option and I'm unfortunately one of those people. That's because I've had an open bite during my ortho treatment and therefore although they'll retain my teeth, my bite may be affected. This means I'll have to wear the more obvious type of retainer, something most people who've had ortho treatment don't want to do. I'm hoping that with bonded retainers as well, I won't need to wear the hawley retainers full time for long!

There has been research completed that shows people are more compliant when they have essix retainers compared to those with hawley retainers. This is due to the essix retainers being difficult to see and therefore people more comfortable with that once their braces have been removed.

[Phantom Muse]

Sunny - Just as encouragement, my daughter really does prefer her Hawley retainers. They are easy to keep clean (we did have to "fight" with the essix a bit), she finds them to be comfortable, and they are really not so noticeable either.

Here's hoping you are in retainers sooner rather than later!!!!

[Sunny]

Thanks PM ... I know I'll cope, but I can't wait till there's nothing metal showing in my mouth ... what a day to celebrate!

Livelavalive - something I forgot to add - many people with a serious gag reflex cannot wear the hawley retainers due to the covering part of the upper palate. Please check that with your ortho.

[livelavalive]

Thanks PM ... I know I'll cope, but I can't wait till there's nothing metal showing in my mouth ... what a day to celebrate!

Livelavalive - something I forgot to add - many people with a serious gag reflex cannot wear the hawley retainers due to the covering part of the upper palate. Please check that with your ortho.

I'll be sure to check with them about that. My appointment is on the 24th. If Hawley's don't push teeth back and cause gagging, are there any similar devices? (Still removable. I am not going to go back to anything fixed.)

[Sunny]

Livelavalive ... as has been posted many times, the hawley is a retainer, it doesn't push teeth back. To have your teeth moved you'll need either braces or a removable appliance.

Your video hardly shows your teeth and is a poor example, but the few times they're seen, they look amazing and your bite looks fantastic also. Good luck with your appointment and hopefully you'll need no further treatment, or minimal treatment.