Stuck with braces on for months. Lawsuit?

Message

#31 Post by **UGHBRACES** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 7:47 pm

Lynette wrote:I don't think I've heard any orthodontist let their patient wear their retainer only at night as soon as they get them off. This could be relapse just waiting to happen

My ortho recommends 12 hours a day for his patients. And he closely monitors for relapse for the first year post removal.

#32 Post by **fluffybottom** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:36 pm

Lynette wrote:I don't think I've heard any orthodontist let their patient wear their retainer only at night as soon as they get them off. This could be relapse just waiting to happen

Mine did (and I've seen other people on here with the same thing). My retention plan is night-time wear every night for the first year followed by night-time wear a few times a week for the rest of my life. I have a bonded retainer on the front six teeth of my lower arch but my retention plan would have been the same even if I had decided against it.

It's been four months and my teeth have not shifted at all! That that is even when I went without a retainer for a week due to my gum graft surgery (the retainer was a little tight when I first put it back in after that week but only the first night).

#33 Post by **Lynette** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 9:54 pm

That's excellent it's been working for you so far. Hopefully you still have great results months and years from now

I guess many orthos have different retention plans and different people respond differently to them. My current ortho/past ortho and a couple of other people that posted before me have heard full time use for at least 3-6 months after treatment finishes and then night time wear pretty much as long as you want straight teeth.

#34 Post by **Lynette** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:01 pm

UGHBRACES wrote:
Lynette wrote:I don't think I've heard any orthodontist let their patient wear their retainer only at night as soon as they get them off. This could be relapse just waiting to happen
My ortho recommends 12 hours a day for his patients. And he closely monitors for relapse for the first year post removal.

I couldn't just wear my retainer for 12 hours a day, especially straight after treatment. I would be so paranoid it's not enough retainer use!

But if it works for you, that's excellent!

#35 Post by **Lynette** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:14 pm

Lynette wrote:
UGHBRACES wrote:
Lynette wrote:I don't think I've heard any orthodontist let their patient wear their retainer only at night as soon as they get them off. This could be relapse just waiting to happen
My ortho recommends 12 hours a day for his patients. And he closely monitors for relapse for the first year post removal.
I couldn't just wear my retainer for 12 hours a day, especially straight after treatment. I would be so paranoid it's not enough retainer use! But if it works for you, that's excellent!

I just saw in another post you have or are getting bonded AND removable.

Sorry what I meant to say was I would feel a little uneasy if I just had Essix/Hawley retainers with no bonded retainer at all and just wore it at night. If you had bonded retainers and wore an additional Essix/Hawley one for 12 hours at night, I see no problem with that all

#36 Post by **fluffybottom** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:23 pm

Well, like I said in my post, I still would have had night-time wear from the start even if I hadn't gotten the bonded retainer. And I should point out, I don't have a bonded retainer on the top arch and there has been no relapse due to only night-time wear.

#37 Post by **Lynette** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:25 pm

Is there any reason why you didn't get bonded on top as well?

#38 Post by **fluffybottom** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:34 pm

My bottom arch had a lot of crowding and my orthodontist thought that the bonded retainer would provide some extra insurance against possible relapse once the braces were removed; I didn't have the same crowding issues with my top arch. Also, bonded retainers on the top arch aren't used as often as those on the bottom; the teeth in the bottom arch often bump against the bonded retainer on the top arch, causing it to become damaged/detached much more frequently than a bonded retainer on the lower arch. Not that they are never done! My boss actually has a bonded retainer on her top arch but just on the front four teeth instead of the front six.

#39 Post by **Lynette** » Fri Oct 29, 2010 10:50 pm

Speaking of top bonded retainer, I actually have one in at the moment (On front 6)! haha

So I have braces and a bonded retainer still on my top teeth from my last time in braces. I actually thought it might restrict movement, but my teeth are moving fine even with the retainer still in.

I have crowding on my bottom teeth like yourself and will need both retainers otherwise I have a feeling they will definitely relapse

Maybe in the distant future they will invent some awesome thing that will keep the teeth straight without any need for retainers. Ahh we can wish

#40 Post by **fluffybottom** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 10:20 am

Wow! I wonder why your ortho didn't remove the top retainer. Did s/he say why? I'm all intrigued now!

#41 Post by **UGHBRACES** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 10:40 am

Lynette wrote: I couldn't just wear my retainer for 12 hours a day, especially straight after treatment. I would be so paranoid it's not enough retainer use! But if it works for you, that's excellent!

Just because you would be paranoid about it doesn't mean it wouldn't work for you too!

Having said that, everybody on here should follow the specific guidelines their own ortho sets out for them. So if yours says 24 hours a day, then thats what you do.

#42 Post by **Lynette** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 2:39 pm

fluffybottom wrote:Wow! I wonder why your ortho didn't remove the top retainer. Did s/he say why? I'm all intrigued now!

Nope he never mentioned why! The teeth the retainer are attached to are pretty much straight anyway so maybe that's why. Maybe if they needed more movement than 1mm or so it would've got removed

#43 Post by **Lynette** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 2:44 pm

UGHBRACES wrote:
Lynette wrote: I couldn't just wear my retainer for 12 hours a day, especially straight after treatment. I would be so paranoid it's not enough retainer use! But if it works for you, that's excellent!
Just because you would be paranoid about it doesn't mean it wouldn't work for you too!

Having said that, everybody on here should follow the specific guidelines their own ortho sets out for them. So if yours says 24 hours a day, then thats what you do.

I totally wouldn't mind wearing it for 12 hours it worked for me! But yes, as you mentioned, everyone should follow what their ortho recommends!

Unfortunately last time I had braces I got a bonded retainer top and bottom and after 2 years my back teeth started drifting inwards. So this time I'm getting both bonded and Essix.

#44 Post by **haywire** » Sat Oct 30, 2010 3:22 pm

i'm gonna have bonded on my lowers and essix on the uppers only at night
i'm kinda paranoid so i'm gonna wear the essix full time at least the first 2-3 months (of course i'll ask my ortho if it's alright)