help! i hate my lingual retainer!!!!!!!!

[1966]

hi,

i have just had a l retainer glued on and i can not bare it! i want to rip it out - it feel huuuge in my mouth and i now have a bloody lisp!

im scared my ortho will be angry if i call him so soon to say i want it taken out? i just want a retainer to wear at night - anything is better than this! ive also got a rly heavy headache.

what should i do??

[coconut]

Give it a few days to see if things improve. If not, call your ortho to discuss.

[mikeg]

believe us, you will get used to it..

how long did your ortho say you need to have it for ?

[Brace Face]

I think you should give it time, you got used to braces so you'll get used to bonded retainers just as well. I got mine just this morning and, I agree, they feel bigger than I thought they would (particularly the top) but I already feel like i've adjusted to them so it shouldn't take you too long. I kind of like knowing something is there keeping everything in check! Although they are meant to be there for life, my ortho did say that if I was not happy with them then there are other options (ie' making them smaller) which we could discuss after I have worn these ones for a year or more. I am sure you will be used to yours very soon. Good luck.

[Sunny]

Bonded retainers have been found to be the most successful at keeping your teeth in the finished position. I agree with the others above, that you give yourself some time to adjust. But ... if you really don't want it, give your ortho a call and be honest about how you're feeling.

Good luck!

[abbaker]

My ortho says I'll need lingual retainers on my top teeth once my braces treatment is done (this is in like 2 years). He said they'll be there for life, which kind of freaked me out at first but now I am more comfortable with the idea. I am just worried about lisping! I guess a slight lisp isn't the end of the world, but I'm still hoping it doesn't happen... Is a person more likely to lisp with linguals on the bottom teeth or the top teeth?

[Phantom Muse]

I have bonded retainers on both arches and I LOVE them! I have no issues with lisping; in fact, I really don't notice them until it is time to brush my teeth (or if a little bit of food gets caught in them - which is absolutely easy to address). They have been a blessing to me, and they are doing a terrific job of keeping everything in alignment. I do also wear removable Vivera retainers at night and they are no big deal either. The bonded, however, are my favorite by far!

[Rachel]

My ortho says I'll need lingual retainers on my top teeth once my braces treatment is done (this is in like 2 years). He said they'll be there for life, which kind of freaked me out at first but now I am more comfortable with the idea. I am just worried about lisping! I guess a slight lisp isn't the end of the world, but I'm still hoping it doesn't happen... Is a person more likely to lisp with linguals on the bottom teeth or the top teeth?

My ortho told me the same thing, except mine will be on the bottom. I'll have an essix retainer for the top. I'm nervous about getting one too, but I guess I shouldn't worry about that now as I still have 2.5 years to go with braces! lol I imagine any lisp you'd develop would probably (hopefully) go away or become less noticeable as you adjust to the retainers.

[abbaker]

Yep I hope so... It's just weird knowing that there will be something permanent on my teeth for the rest of my life- but I guess fillings last for years too so it's sort of a similar concept and I should just get used to it. As for lisping, a few days after I got braces my "button hooks" kept rubbing against my tongue and it was very painful and my lisp got worse... however just a few days later the pain has disappeared and I sound much more normal, no lisp at all. I hope the same thing happens with my linguals!

[WeeC]

Hi there, I think you need to give it a bit of time.. although if it is for life then maybe you could see about getting smaller brackets! I've just had my lingual brace taken out, only had it on for 1 year and 2 months!! I now have a very thin wire bonded to the back of my front 6 teeth and I have a very thin clear retainer to wear at night for the next year. The wire is for life but isn't an issue as its so thin- could be another option? The lisp doesn't last, and your mouth gets used to it very quickly- you'll be talking normally in no time.

Good luck!

[Sunny]

Great it's working so well for you after your short treatment WeeC.

A couple of things to think about ... bonded retainers rarely last many years without some of the bonding coming off and needing to be replaced. The bonded retainer is great, but only if it's bonded correctly. Also ... a bonded retainer retains the teeth it's bonded to, which is why a removable retainer is still needed to be worn for life, if you want all your teeth to stay in place for life. What is your ortho telling you will happen to the teeth that aren't bonded to the retainer after your year of night only wear?

[WeeC]

I said a year- I meant life!! I will be wearing the retainer at night for life sorry - oops! Its not an issue though I don't mind it at all The wire is bonded to the back of my front 6 teeth as I said- will the bonding wear and tear do you think? My orthodontist is brilliant though so I’m sure they did the bonding very well..

Thanks! cx

[Sunny]

The bonding does wear and that's why we require our patients to continue to check the bonding regularly ... at least once a week. Some patients have to have the bonding repaired regularly, while others may not need anything for the first few years and then need more regularly bonding to get things back in place.

There are many reasons why the bonding doesn't last and mostly is connected to do with the skill of the ortho ... and is mostly in line with the bonding of brackets on teeth. The foods eaten ... for example very tough or chewy foods may affect the bonding, how your teeth chew and if any teeth close on the bonding. How much grinding or clenching a person does may also affect bonding and another reason why the aligner type retainers are favoured for night time wear is to protect the bonding while a person is sleeping.