Retainer Options

[colt]

I'm not sure exactly when I'm getting my braces off (sometime next year) But I'm wondering what my options are for a retainer. I'm planning on joining the military but I can't join until my braces are off and I still can't join if I have a retainer. Is there anything I can get something permanently behind the teeth or use invisalign as a retainer?

P.S. Does every case require a retainer and how long does it have to be worn?

Thanks!

[Tara19]

Yes every case requires a retainer.

The good news is you can have a permanent retainer put in for you bottom teeth that goes on the back of the teeth....

More good news is that your ortho will probably recommend you use invisalign retainers... They are not like a traditional retainer and you'll barely know you have them in...

Good luck

[colt]

Oh, perfect

Thanks a bunch!

[AJH]

I have a permenet retainer on my bottom teeth and it has kept them perfect. I don't even use my upper retainer anymore. That may not be recommended but it has worked for me.

[GuRu]

When I get mine off I will have a permanent retainer on the bottom and a removeable one for the top.

[mariahfromchicago]

Do all orthos offer clear retainers? (i am 1/3 into my 2 years) I just hate the look of a line across your teeth from the traditional type. I just want to not feel a retainer in my mouth! I MUST HAVE A CLEAR ONE!!!!!!! i get my braces off when president bush is out of office!

[Janesays]

its really just a machine they use to make it there on the spot. So some othro's have it and others dont. The traditional one that you have, they have to send out for it..

Ask your ortho if you can switch to clear, I know they can make it happen but it will cost you...

and fyi, the clear ones get yukky too.. you have to clean those suckers.

Ever seen that movie "Just friends" lol

[mariahfromchicago]

its really just a machine they use to make it there on the spot. So some othro's have it and others dont. The traditional one that you have, they have to send out for it..

Ask your ortho if you can switch to clear, I know they can make it happen but it will cost you...

and fyi, the clear ones get yukky too.. you have to clean those suckers.

Ever seen that movie "Just friends" lol

So that means that if he doesn't have one, I have to have the ugly, metal kind?
Can I go to another ortho just for the retainer, cause I don't like the metal kind?
mariah

[headgearjoe]

i'll be getting bonded upper an lower , with a heavy wire full wrap around hawley also , i had such a very heavy deep overbite an tmj , my orthodontist doesn't wanbt anything to move back in it's old place to cause any probs ,an i'm ok with it

[headgearjoe]

mine are off now , got them off jan 31st 08, i have bonded uppers an lowers , i had the impressions made also for my hawleys , there going to be glow in the dark blue , an mine has the wire that goes across the front of my teeth

[mariahfromchicago]

mine are off now , got them off jan 31st 08, i have bonded uppers an lowers , i had the impressions made also for my hawleys , there going to be glow in the dark blue , an mine has the wire that goes across the front of my teeth

That sounds like a cool colour!

[katesmom]

I got the Evertain Retainer from my doc (located in New York but sure you can get it anywhere) and they offer a replacement program for 3 years should you lose or break it. It might benefit you if you are going into the military. Cuz you get a backup set right away. So you can carry that with you. Plus, I liked that they are clear retainers like invisilign braces.

[Zoso]

One point of note is that "slip-cover" retainers (Evertain, Essix and the like) are not suitable for all cases. For example, they can tend to contribute toward any tendency to relapse in openbite cases.

Mariah - believe me: you'll feel Essix retainers in your mouth too - in fact a few people who have both upper and lower Essix compain that the combination really is too bulky for them.

[Stephanie]

good to know zoso... i have heard a little about this.

I personally like the old school hawley retainers for a lot of cases... The fact that they can be adjusted and tightening is usually a good thing for the patient that gets the braces off...

they just can be annoying to wear, but hopefully you will eventually only be wearing them at night.

[Zoso]

A well-made Hawley should last a lot longer too.

[Sunflower]

I just got a new set of retainer last week and I love them. When I first got my braces off I was given two sets of retainers. A clear type for daytime wear and the traditional wire type for nights. The clear are good but the edges are sharp. The wire type are ok but they are bulky. These new retainers are a combination of the two together. They are clear with a horseshoed acrylic on the inside. Mine are Raspberry with silver glitter on the inside and invisible clear over the teeth. My ortho called them a Hybrid Retainers. He said they are the newest retainers out. I think they are great.......