Metal Mouth Message Board

Hi I hope I am posting in the right area. I currently have a retainer (Invisalign clear type) and have had Invisalign about 6 months ago to treat anterior open bite. Since getting off my treatment and receiving my essix retainer I am slowly noticing my top teeth spreading apart from my bottoms so that right now my top teeth overlap my bottoms by only a sliver. I am wondering is the essix retainer the best way to go to retain my progress? would bonded retainer have helped hold my teeth better? Any advice you could give me its really emotionally bothering me seeing the slow relapse. I am following ortho's advice to wear the retainer at night when sleeping but feel it doesn't do well to prevent vertical movement? Thanks for ANYTHING you could say to me. I do know that in order to have gotten the most ideal results I might have needed surgery but my concern right now is the slow movement while using the prescribed retainer. thanks !!

The type of retainer best suited to prevent relapse is going to depend on how the teeth were moved. With Invisalign treatment and open bites, we are often intruding the posterior teeth to help the anterior teeth settle together rather than pulling the front teeth "out" from the gums vertically.

One solution might be to use upper and lower essix retainers full time to try to effect some posterior intrusion to help close the bite. Speak to your doctor and see if they have any suggestions. Good luck!

Hi,

I agree w/ Dr. Tam. Also check to see if the trays are trimmed short. Invisalign usually covers all of the teeth, and that would help with your vertical dimension. If your retainer is cut short, then you don't get too much intrusion in the back teeth. Like Dr. Tam recommended, wearing it more often may also help.