Curious about the permanent retainer option

[eyecarepro]

Hey, I wanted to address two things, actually:

1.) I don't know if there is anyone else out there as paranoid about their oral health as I am. I have nightmares about losing my teeth (it's been a LONG time, though). I don't remember who it was on this forum who had mentioned that flossing provides as excellent gauge for if and how much your teeth are shifting, but it's definitely true. I have noticed dramatic changes in the last 2-3 weeks as my flossing has become more regular. My bottom teeth actually have slight gaps where they were over crowded and overlapping a bit before braces. Everyone is noticing the bottom teeth are becoming straighter. I've gotten into the habit of running my tongue across the back of my lower teeth. It feels kind of creepy because I can feel each and every tooth individually now, where I couldn't really before. It's only been a about a month and a half into the treatment and all this improvement already. Is it common for teeth to start shifting so early in treatment? I'm not complaining or anything, I was just curious.
2.)Can anyone tell me about the permanent retainer option. I've talked to ALOT of former braces wearers, young and old, and almost EVERYONE has lost their retainer's and admitted to their teeth shifting back. I do NOT want to go through all of this time and money only to lose the retainer and my teeth shift back again. Are there drawbacks to getting a permanent retainer? Does food get caught in it easier than a removable retainer? I will NOT put a price tag on my dental health. I'm already stockpiling money aside for the veneers I will be getting after the braces come off. So cost is not a factor here. Feedback appreciated.

[Sunny]

Eyecare my ortho told me to expect to notice changes while flossing, due to the type of movement my teeth were making ... and me not being able to see it. Another way to feel changes is when biting. Often you'll notice difference with the way teeth come together, when you can't see changes ... which is also exciting.

If a person had considerable crowding and teeth out of alignment, the early archwire(s) can achieve great results to quickly get these teeth moving. It's great that you've noticed great changes with your alignment already!

You need to talk to your ortho about the types of retainers they prefer to use. Some types of retainers have been shown to retain some types of movement better and to not be so good for others. The ortho's I work for, like to use fixed retainers for patients who've had gaps in the front teeth closed, or a large amount of crowding in the front teeth corrected. The fixed retainers are not recommended unless the patient has A1 oral hygiene, as flossing the teeth held by the fixed retainer will remain a little harder. Also it's important not to chew hard food against the fixed retainers, as this can snap them off. Food may get caught in a fixed retainer, but it's easy to remove with some water. Removable retainers should be removed to eat, so there's no reason to have food caught in them.

The ortho's I work for also give all patients removable retainers, whether they have fixed retainers or not. It would be wise to make sure you always keep a little money in the bank, to replace your removable retainers in case you do loose them.

Good luck talking to your ortho!

[coconut]

I have fixed/bonded retainers on both arches (front 6), plus I use essix type (clear) retainers a couple of nights a week.

This combination has held my teeth in their desired position since debanding (more than 18 months ago).

The bonded retainers sometimes trap food particles and from my experience water is not usually enough to dislodge them. However, flossing, brushing or use of proxy brushes usually does the trick, as it does with braces. Also, as the bonded retainers are on the front teeth only, there is no risk of damage from chewing. One thing to guard against is plaque build up around the point of contact, but regular cleanings by one's dentist should be sufficient to address this.

[Zoso]

Don't fall into the trap of thinking that a bonded retainer is a permanent retainer - it is not. Either the wire, or the bonding can fail over time, and you must be diligent to keep watch for that, as not only can the teeth then move, but if it is the bonding that has failed, this can lead to a nasty little, hard to clean plaque trap that can cause decay.

The other thing to bear in mind with bonded retainers is that they do add an extra challenge to your dental hygiene, necessitating the continued use of self-threaded floss or floss threaders, and special diligence in brushing the teeth that are on that retainer.

A third thing to consider is that a bonded retainer will typically be on only the front six or eight teeth (typically, but not always six on the upper and eight on the lower arch) so it will not be working to retain those posterior (back) teeth.

That said, there are certain advantages to a bonded retainer. For example, they can sometimes tend to be better at preventing teeth from relapsing where either extensive rotation has been corrected or teeth have had to be extruded by a significant amount - especially impacted canines.

The best thing to do is, as Sunny says, to discuss your options with your orthodontist and understand what he thinks will be the best option in your particular case. Remember too that a combination of retainers can be used - you might have a bonded retainer for one arch and not the other, or perhaps have one arch with a bonded retainer, plus a removable one that you wear at night only. Just see what your doc thinks is going to do best in your case