Overbite After Braces Help - I Need A New Retainer

[livelavalive]

I had braces for over two years and I still have an overbite.
Almost all of my teeth slide over my bottom teeth, and although they are straight I find it unacceptable to have such an overbite after braces.
I got the clear retainers, which were a waste of my time because they don't push anything back at all, not to mention they are filthy. I have to wash them with soap and water every day for no reason because they don't help with anything. The surfaces are all cloudy so I keep thinking they're covered in plaque, which could be the case because I had to get my first three cavities filled a few weeks ago.
Which retainer would push my front teeth back and would let my lower jaw grow out naturally or with another appliance pushing it out?
The orthodontist said I could get a new retainer if I got the molds done again, which caused me panic attacks 2/3 times. This was two months ago and I can't take wearing those awful retainers much longer.

So, which retainer/appliance should I opt for and how can I reduce panic with those impressions? I'll wear anything as long as it's removable and don't say common things like "just relax" blah blah blah. Thank you for reading.

[Sunny]

Please go and talk to your ortho about your issues.

Retainers are to keep your teeth from moving, not to 'push' teeth back.

The essix retainer (clear like invisalign aligners) may become cloudy over time, but usually they stay great for a year or so as long as they're looked after and you never eat or drink anything other than water, while you're wearing them.

What age are you? Your jaw (the bones) can only move prior to the bones fusing, which usually happens around adolescence. After that, the only way to move a jaw is by surgery.

Impressions can be made loads easier if you sit up and lean slightly forward. Also concentrate on your feet and wiggle your toes while you do this. Part of this is to help you think about something else while the impression is being taken. Also make sure the person who's doing the moulds, knows you have a 'gag reflex', as they will usually have ways to help you.

[livelavalive]

I'm 16. Wired retainers would obviously push teeth back a bit. My orthodontists also know I have a gag reflex. If they didn't, me having panic attacks in front of them would look a bit strange. Also, I never drank anything but water when I had my clear retainers in. I've heard from people that they sometimes make your bite worse, and in my case this IS true.

[Phantom Muse]

My daughter's ortho switched her from a clear plastic retainer to Hawleys because the lack of contact between the upper and lower arches was causing her bite to open. She has been with the Hawleys for a few months now, and her bite is more settled and a tooth that was not in perfect alignment is slowly being coaxed into its proper place.

She prefers the Hawleys - primarily because they are much easier to keep clean (no matter how diligent she was, the plastic ones were "spotted" and very challenging to clean).

I think it is helpful to keep your mind on something else while having the impressions done. However, when your body tells you one thing - like gag! - it's difficult to override that. I have actually accompanied friends to their appointments with the sole purpose of being their diversion during impressions. I sing, dance, talk, tell stories ... whatever is needed. Maybe we are lucky, but no ortho or dentist has ever been bothered by it; I think, actually, they have been a little amused by it all. Are you comfortable asking someone to accompany you who can talk "at" you through the process (or maybe sing and dance)?! Something as simple as listening to your iPod might help. Even if you are still uncomfortable, perhaps the time will move along more easily.

I hope this helps!

[livelavalive]

Thanks, Phantom Muse.
Do Hawley Retainers push teeth back at all? My front 4-6 teeth are kind of out there because my jaw is arched, so all of my front teeth gradually come further out towards the middle. I would like my front 6 teeth pushed back a bit and something to push my bottom jaw forward a little so everything would line up better. I hate my bite and the orthodontists did a pretty terrible job in my opinion with the near 30 month timeline we had. Of course I would be asking my orthodontist if I was actually there right now. My next appointment is in August, but I can't deal with these horrible Essix retainers for much longer. As soon as I can get some anti anxiety pills I will make an appointment to get molds//new retainers. Thanks for reading.

EDIT - Can you put elastics on retainers somehow? I asked the orthodontist and he said no, but that was when i already had the clear retainers being made. Someone said you could put elastics on, and those actually gave me movement, so that would be a joy.

[Sunny]

Retainers don't push teeth back, they're made to retain teeth in their finished position. An ortho can adjust a hawley retainer to get teeth to move, so this is something you need to ask your ortho about when you talk to him about your teeth. This would not help with your lower jaw, but talk to your ortho about what it needs and whether at 16 your jaw bones are fused. With many females they are fused by this age, but not with all.

Essix retainers (clear type) are usually the best at keeping teeth in the correct position, due to them working in a similar way to invisalign aligners, but being heavy duty to help them last and retain the teeth. The one type of bite we don't recommend wearing an essix retainers after having corrected is an open bite. This is because the teeth can return to the open position due to retainers not working so much to retainer the vertical postion but the horizontal postions of the teeth.

Retainers do not use elastics as there's no way to 'pull' a retainer and have it affect your tooths placement. Brackets or buttons can be used because they're attached to your tooth, but again this is a question for an orthodontist.

We often have patients with major gag reflexs and we tell them to do the things that I wrote in my previous post. The most important thing for us to do, as the staff, is to try and get the patient to relax and be calm with them. After that, it's up to the patient to do as recommended and accept that the impression has to be done. By sitting up and leaning slightly forward, most patients feel a little better, as they realise that the moulding material won't run down their throats and make them feel like they're choking. Hopefully this will work with you.

Don't wait till August, either you or a parent give your ortho a call and ask for an appointment asap. Good luck!

[livelavalive]

Female? I'm Male, but I get what you're saying. I had an open bite (one with open space?) and the orthodontist insisted that I got Essix retainers. I'm wearing them right now at 4:30 AM and they are very uncomfortable. I can feel the way my teeth are biting down, and when I take them off after waking up they'll be in an awkward position with tons of space remaining. Is there any kind of retainer that will fix bite well, work like headgear, and be adjustable for any improvements that need to be made. I could upload some pictures, but my teeth look so much worse when I try to take dedicated teeth pictures to post online. I just need the best retainer possible that fixes bite well. I do not want to go back to braces at all. Anything removable that improves bite will be considered. The thought of fixed appliances such as braces or headgear brackets makes me worried, I can't believe I survived for over two years.

[Sunny]

A retainer retains teeth in their position and if you want your teeth to move, a retainer won't do the job.

Maybe you need a removable appliance that looks like a hawley retainer, but it's a removable appliance that can have the wire adjusted and springs added to move teeth.

You need to talk to your ortho, as you may be able to have this work done without any additional cost, or it may be considered that what you desire is not considered to be part of the original treatment and therefore your family will need to pay. Check with your ortho as soon as you can, so decisions like this can be made.

If you really do have a problem that needs correcting, your ortho will have to make the best decision as to what is the best way to treat it ... brackets, removable appliance etc. Make sure you listen to what your ortho recommends and then you need to decide if you can go through with it, or live with what you currently have. If you do decide to be treated again, make sure you discuss with your ortho the type of retainer you'll have after the treatment is finished and make sure you're commited to a lifetime of wear!

Good luck!

[livelavalive]

If I had gotten anything other than the Essix retainers I wouldn't complain if I had to wear them for life. Are there names for appliances like what you just mentioned ? (Adjustable wires, etc...)

[Sunny]

It's referred to as a removable appliance, as it's made to suit the needs of the patient, as long as the movement required is minor and the applicance is removable.

You need to talk to an orthodontist or two ... some ortho's may have names for them, where I work they're called 'removable appliances'.

If you want your teeth to stay in their ortho finished place, you'll have to wear your retainers for life ... usually a few nights a week will do. Teeth move for as long as we're alive, which means that without retainers, they'll move some place else.

Good luck talking to an ortho!

[livelavalive]

Are there any appliances that would help my situation but wouldn't need impressions?
I will probably force myself to get them but just in case...

[Sunny]

No ... as this his how appliances are made to fit your mouth.

Good luck!

[livelavalive]

I have a few weeks at most until I can force myself to make an appointment.
My teeth are slooooowly starting to shift for the worse in terms of bite. It's a slow shift, although the bite wasn't too good to begin with.
Should I wear my retainers at night? **Wearing these makes me bite down weird at night, thus waking up with crooked and more overbiten teeth for a few hours until they return to normal. I wish there were some home made remedies or something, but there aren't.
I wear the retainers for 4-5 nights a week now. They don't help much.
Would it be better to wear them during the day so I would be aware of how I'm biting?
I always think that if I can bite down by shifting my jaws into the position I want them in, and hold it long enough that my teeth will shift a bit. haha

[Sunny]

You need to phone your ortho's office and ask these questions.

Till then I recommend you continue wearing your retainers as instructed.

Ghee I hope this gets sorted without too many issues for you ... and definitely don't try any home remedies, as you can do permanent damage to the roots of your teeth if you make them move without following the rules. This type of damage can be permanent and result in teeth falling out.

Good luck!

[livelavalive]

Ok, so last night I wore both upper and lower clear retainers. I felt a really awkward bite placement throughout the night. I woke up and my bite became open again. I can fit even more of my thumb under my teeth and the bite hasn't gone back to normal yet.
What the heck is with this? If I don't wear retainers my bite gets worse and if I wear them my bite gets worse. And if I want a better retainer I have to go have a panic attack at the orthodontist during the impressions. No solutions that end well here.

If someone can describe the functions of a Hawley retainer and preferably some first hand reviews of the thing, I might just force myself to sit through those trays.
There's no way I'm dealing with this crap for even longer.

[Sunny]

Retainers are retainers ... they retain your teeth in the position they were in when your moulds were made when your braces came off. The name of the retainer is similar to the name of brackets ... the job they do is like brackets ... the same.

There is one recognised difference ... with an aligner your teeth don't touch and during full time wear this can result in the bite opening a little, but it usually repairs itself without requiring an ortho.

You need to talk to your ortho. Plus you need to prepare yourself calmly to have moulds made, as it would be a rare orthodontist who'd treat someone like you describe without making new moulds. Some people have dreadful gag reflex, but with the appropriate technique it needed be so bad. Firstly the patient has to calm themselves ... as usually they cause about 75% of the gag. Next make sure you're sitting upright and leaning slightly forward ... so that you know mentally the mould can't and won't go down your throat. Finally wiggle your toes and concentrate on that ... as if you think about what's happening, you'll cause yourself to gag even if you don't have a reaction. The subconcious is an amazing part of our nervous system and it will do as you want it to ... you think about gagging ... it will make sure you gag!

For your bite to become open so quickly ... it's not a result of the clear retainers. Imagine if teeth could move that fast when you had an orthodontic appliance put in your mouth ... treatment would be over in a month or less.

Talk to your ortho ... make sure they listen and understand your concern! Good luck!

[livelavalive]

I can go make an appointment in a week or so, but many people have problems with Essix retainers, which is why the Hawley is the most popular one. Someone else on here, Phantom Muse, said he had the same problem that I do.

[Sunny]

Essix is by far the most popular retainer due to it being clear and it also helps people who clench or grind. Hawleys are an older style and they do a good job at retaining the teeth, but are being used less and less. Comfort wise, the essix style is easier to adjust to, due to it covering only your mouth, which includes health advantages. Many people who have gag reflexes have problems with the older style hawley retainers due to them putting pressure on the palate.

Where I work, the most popular retainer is the bonded kind with the essix being used at night. For patients with open bite problems we get them a hawley type, although many pay for the essix clear retainers for day wear.

[livelavalive]

I'm getting really frustrated so I will probably make an appointment quickly.
Are their any removable appliances that could help my situation? My first four teeth are protruding a bit and there's a bit of space around there that I find really unsightly.