Hi,
I got debanded a week ago and I was given essix clear retainers (along with bonded permanent retainers on the back of my teeth). I've been told my orthodontist that I should wear them for a year more.
My lower retainers have been particularly problematic. They don't fit exactly in (although at this point I'm not able to say if the fit I'm having is just right). Recently, I drank a lot of water in a single go and my lower retainers came off.
Is this grave? I can only replace my essix retainers in a month (not in the same city as my orthodontist). Will my bonded retainers do the job until then?
Also, what exactly is just the right fit? My upper essix retainers do not come often as much as my lower ones bit I can still easily get them off just by pressing my lower teeth against the two corners of my retainers to get them off. There is a tiny, tiny gap between the point where my gums begin and the point where my retainers end. Is that normal?
When I make small adjustments to my retainers with my teeth, I can FEEL that my retainers are exerting some force against my teeth --it feels good because I feel that they're doing their job. After a minute or two, that pressure is gone (unless I use my teeth to press against them again) and I'm worried if that will lead to gaps forming again. Am I just being paranoid about this? I sure don't want to wear braces again. How do I know what exactly the perfect fit feels or looks like?
Finally, has someone here had both bonded permanent retainers and essix ones? Is the essix something like a backup incase something goes wrong with the bonded ones?
Essix retainers came out while drinking water!
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