Taking out and putting in Essex retainers...help plz

[Rusty'sMom]

Maybe I am jumping to conclusions here but I think I will lose some weight with these Essex retainers because they are so difficult to take out , HOW WILL I EVER EAT?

I got them today...one day after getting my braces off. At the ortho office they had a hard time snapping them in and out, and I did as well. They assured me it will get really easy....ha...I am not so sure. On my bottom jaw I have one missing molar on each side and one crown also. The suction holding these things in is ridiculous. It feels like the crown is going to pull off when I remove it which is not pleasant. Also, my molars are achey like they used to be after an adjustment, especially the one with the crown.

Anyone with Essex experience have any suggestions for me? Thanks all.

[midnight]

I was told to take them off by pushing up/under/etc.. on the things by my molars and I dreaded taking them out as it was so painful! I had a look online and found a few videos where people were taking them off by pushing up nearer the front teeth. I just searched for something like 'how to take off an essix retainer'. I've found this much easier and less painful.

[hj55]

When I first had my retainers I struggled with taking them off. I was told to take hold of the retainer at one end and gently pull it away from my teeth until the whole retainer was off. I was also told to think of it as being like undoing a zip - that worked for me.

[Rusty'sMom]

thank you! The first tip works well for my top retainer and the "zip" idea works best for the bottom. It is the molars that stand alone that really seem to hold the suction and make it difficult to remove. I don't love these things, after two years of braces...no complaining here.