other people experiences with fixed retainers?

[liccledevil83]

I've just finished my invisalign, had my attachments removed and had a fixed retainer this morning. I'm finding it very weird at the moment (as I did with invisalign initially but then that became part of daily life). I'm just trying to eat something and finding it quite difficult to bite and my teeth have suddenly gone very sensitive! I also feel like there's going to be lots of food going to get stuck in it!
Any words of advice or experiences from others out there???
Tx

[coconut]

Hi,

I've had bonded retainers on both arches for a while now.

I adjusted fairly quickly and eating has never been a problem with them. Food does very occasionally get stuck between the wire and teeth and - I confess - where proxy brushes or floss have been unable to resolve this, I've used some 'unorthodox' methods to remove it.

If there is one thing I do notice, and this is particular to me, is that calculus does build up in the vicinity of the wire. No amount of personal oral hygiene seems to make an impact, which is why 6 monthly visits to my dentist are such a critical part of my maintaining overall dental health.

[Zach2k]

I've had fixed retainers for about 7/8 months now. For the most part I was very happy.

Recently though, I've developed bad breath which I am pretty certain is due to food stuck in these retainers. I brush and use mouth wash regularly, cant floss with these retainers (even with superfloss) just causes excessive bleeding.

I'm brushing n using mouth wash several times a day but if the bad breath continues I'm gonna have these fixed retainers removed.

[Sunny]

Zach you can and must floss with bonded retainers. If you're not flossing, there's a good chance the smell is resulting from your gums being infected. You state your gums bleed, another sign of gum disease.

Please go to your dentist asap and have your teeth and gums checked and if necessary you'll be referred to a perio who does gum work.

[Zach2k]

Zach you can and must floss with bonded retainers. If you're not flossing, there's a good chance the smell is resulting from your gums being infected. You state your gums bleed, another sign of gum disease.

Please go to your dentist asap and have your teeth and gums checked and if necessary you'll be referred to a perio who does gum work.

The fixed retainers are so close to the roof of my mouth that I can't actually get the floss in between. I think when I tried before the hard end of superfloss caused my gums to bleed as I was trying to get them through, not the actual flossing.

My dentist (who I had the invisalign and retainers fitted with) actually said I wont be able to floss anymore after she put the retainers on and just to use a good mouthwash!

[pompompadom]

Hi, I have a water pik that I use for my lowers and that seems to do the job really well. I've just my uppers done and i'm so unhappy, I can't bite my teeth together. I posted on another page but I just hope I get used to it.