Essix vs. Hawley retainers...

[Denise]

When I first signed up for braces, they told me Essix retainers were included in my treatment which I was excited about because I was told when my braces come off I'd have to wear them 24/7 for about four months until I only have to wear them at night. Then I just found out a few months ago that the orthodontists office changed their policy, and now they provide Hawley retainers. I'm tired of having metal over my teeth, so I emailed them for a quote on Essix retainers. I've read online that Essix is less expensive than Hawley.

Any idea as to why they would switch? And has anyone had any positive/negative experiences with either style of retainer? I am also not getting any bonded retainers - of this I'm very passionate about (I'm old enough to remember to wear my retainers and prevent a tooth movement relapse).

[coconut]

Congratualtions on your pending debanding!
I have no idea why your office would switch preferences on retainers, best to ask your ortho that.
I only have experience of essix type retainers and have absolutely no complaints about them (I'm on 1-2 nights/week wear now).
If your ortho has deemed that you don't need a bonded wire, half your luck.

[Denise]

With adult patients, they give us the option whether or not we want a bonded retainer. My friend just had her braces off in November and opted not to get them and said she is really glad she did. I am opting not to have them as well. I have too many friends who have them who say they are nothing but a big pain.

[moonie]

Maybe because they're more durable? I'm not sure.

[Phantom Muse]

My daughter started with an Essix and had to switch to a Hawley because of her gentle bite. There was no additional charge for either, but I will say that she far prefers the Hawley. She finds them to be more comfortable and they are SOOOOO much easier to keep clean in my opinion. She was very diligent with cleaning the Essix, but after a month or so, we simply could not get the white spots off to keep them spotless.

I, too, REALLY did not want bonded retainers so I went with the Vivera (Invisalign product much like the Essix only less thick and quite easy to keep clean). However, after almost five months of 24/7 wear, my teeth had not yet settled enough to go very long without them, so I took the plunge with the bonded on both arches and I really could not be any happier! They are very simple to clean, and I hardly notice them. I do still wear the Vivera at night to "protect" my back teeth.

Good luck; I am sure you must be totally psyched to be so close to your debanding!

[coconut]

To be frank, I'd rather not have bonded retainers, but they were recommended due to my bite history and I've learned to deal with them.

[Denise]

I am going to refuse them, I hate the thought of having wires on my teeth any longer than I have to!

[Sunny]

I can't wait to have the bonded retainers, as apart from them being easy to care for, I want to know that those teeth are safe 24 hours a day ... as long as I check daily when I brush, that the bonding is all good.

I had some major gaps and crowding in my front upper and lower teeth and I don't want to have to rely on removable retainers to keep them in place. I'd rather wear removable retainers at night and know that during the day my teeth are safe.

Any small inconvience will be mild compared to the bigger picture of the past few years!

[Phantom Muse]

It really has been a journey for me to understand the importance of the right sort of retention for each individual case. I guess if I had understood that 25+ years ago, I would not have needed an additional stint with braces!

I would have loved to have been one of those people who did not need "heavy-duty" retention and could wear the removables only at night. I guess it just wasn't in the cards for me, and it took me awhile to get to a place where I could accept the idea of bonded retainers. After a day or two of wear, I basically forgot about the bonded retainers; they were that unobtrusive. I can say, however, that I am SOOOOO happy not to be wearing the trays 24/7 - or even close to that amount of time! I love my teeth now, and can really enjoy them without worry.

Maybe it's just a matter of perspective. After wearing Invisalign trays for so many months, it was actually a real treat to be able to leave them at home and enjoy a meal or a cup of coffee without rushing and worrying about whether or not my teeth were going to be okay. For me, I think less about my teeth now than I have for years, but they are healthier in every way.