How has your routine changed living with retainers...

[Bikerchick85]

For example.. Does it take you longer to get ready in the morning?
If you only have one set of retainers and are on 24/7 wear, do you soak them while you get ready so you can wear them all day?
Is hard to get the morning breath smell off of them? (I'm not looking forward to this!) yuck!
Thanks in advance for any input I'd like to know what I have to look forward to!

[JillD]

Living with 24/7 retainers was more difficult for me than living with braces. It took longer to get ready for work in the morning. Time to eat and drink was more limited. At least I didn't worry about when I could have my coffee while I was wearing braces. With retainers, I had to make sure that I had access to rest room after coffee. I had to brush my teeth more often with retainers than braces. I was happier when I got 24/7 retainers free than brace free.

[Realizingadream]

Dear Biker Chick:

I was shocked, absolutely shocked when I found out I would have to wear my "invisalign" type retainer 24/7 for 6 months. (Essix.) I was angry. I felt cheated and tricked. Well, that lasted about 40 minutes of sulking and talking myself out of sulking. After that, I was fine.

I had had him make me two sets for my top arch, and I had to pay an extra $150 for that, but I figured I'd lose the retainer, or something so I might as well pay it now, as later. Then, 4 days into retainer wear, I realized if I just wore the one, and never the spare one, that the spare one might not fit when I lost or broke the first one.... (Knowing me, I might even lose it by then!) So I started wearing one all day, and the other one all night. No worries, no problems.

As to them being smelly or looking funny, basically I look so much better with straight but retainerized teeth than I did with crooked teeth or with the braces, that isn't a problem. I don't think most people even notice. I actually wear the bottom retainer (Hawley style) quite a bit of the time at work--where I don't have a lot of interaction with people, or in my car. I just yank it out if I have to talk to someone. There's no smell. None at all.

Yah it does slow down my eating. I mean, I can't eat with them in, and I don't want to have to rinse them or use the wipes (lazy me), so I just don't dig into the food every chance I get. I haven't lost any weight so yah not that big of a deal, I guess.

I bought the Denta kit stuff, the little wipes to wipe them off; and the soaking bath. I soak them for about 15 minutes in the morning or evening while I get ready for work or ready for bed. Then I give them a quick scrub with an old toothbrush, pop them in my mouth and I'm good to go. It really hasn't impacted my life at all.

I have to brush my teeth anyway. No big deal.

Oh yah, I had the orthodontist give me the brightest pink holder for them, that I ever saw. They say the rule is, keep the retainers in your mouth, or in your (in my case bright pink) holder for them. If you wrap them in a napkin--they will get tossed into the garbage. If you stuff them in your purse sans case: they will get broken. I keep my case within reach at all times, in case there is something yummy to eat--and then the retainer goes in the pink case. DO get a bright color one. I think it helps a lot.

See ya.

Real

[Bikerchick85]

Dear Biker Chick:

I was shocked, absolutely shocked when I found out I would have to wear my "invisalign" type retainer 24/7 for 6 months. (Essix.) I was angry. I felt cheated and tricked. Well, that lasted about 40 minutes of sulking and talking myself out of sulking. After that, I was fine.

I had had him make me two sets for my top arch, and I had to pay an extra $150 for that, but I figured I'd lose the retainer, or something so I might as well pay it now, as later. Then, 4 days into retainer wear, I realized if I just wore the one, and never the spare one, that the spare one might not fit when I lost or broke the first one.... (Knowing me, I might even lose it by then!) So I started wearing one all day, and the other one all night. No worries, no problems.

As to them being smelly or looking funny, basically I look so much better with straight but retainerized teeth than I did with crooked teeth or with the braces, that isn't a problem. I don't think most people even notice. I actually wear the bottom retainer (Hawley style) quite a bit of the time at work--where I don't have a lot of interaction with people, or in my car. I just yank it out if I have to talk to someone. There's no smell. None at all.

Yah it does slow down my eating. I mean, I can't eat with them in, and I don't want to have to rinse them or use the wipes (lazy me), so I just don't dig into the food every chance I get. I haven't lost any weight so yah not that big of a deal, I guess.

I bought the Denta kit stuff, the little wipes to wipe them off; and the soaking bath. I soak them for about 15 minutes in the morning or evening while I get ready for work or ready for bed. Then I give them a quick scrub with an old toothbrush, pop them in my mouth and I'm good to go. It really hasn't impacted my life at all.

I have to brush my teeth anyway. No big deal.

Oh yah, I had the orthodontist give me the brightest pink holder for them, that I ever saw. They say the rule is, keep the retainers in your mouth, or in your (in my case bright pink) holder for them. If you wrap them in a napkin--they will get tossed into the garbage. If you stuff them in your purse sans case: they will get broken. I keep my case within reach at all times, in case there is something yummy to eat--and then the retainer goes in the pink case. DO get a bright color one. I think it helps a lot.

See ya.

Real

Thank you for your insight, Real!
I definitely plan on placing a Dentakit order for the retainer wipes and spray. I love the idea of that stuff!
I figure I will be in full time wear for at least a year (my teeth are very prone to relapse). I was thinking it would be best to have a Day time and a Night time retainer that way one could soak while I was wearing the other one and it wouldn't cause any delays in my morning routine! I plan on buying the brightest container I can find. 90% of my purses are lined in black so I thought if I got a neon one I could find it easier!
I had retainers when I was 12 and I remember wrapping on in a napkin at a church function and throwing it away. My mom and I had to dig through trash for HOURS trying to find it! YUCK! We found it though and I wore it until it broke. LOL

[plugnickel69]

If you get the upper and lower fixed lingual retainers you probably won't have to wear the removables that much. I only have an upper Essix and was told to wear it fulltime only for 3 weeks, then nighttime. I use a soft brush and antibacterial hand soap and my retainer never has any odor, even when I wake up. I have never needed to soak it in anything.

You do want to keep it in a case!

[clairesky]

What kind of retainers will you be getting?

[Bikerchick85]

What kind of retainers will you be getting?

I will be getting a bonded retainer on lower and possibly upper arch (still trying to decide on the upper bonded retainer).. And an essix retainer made in-office. Then after I get the cosmetic bonding I need for some black triangles I'll be getting impressions made for the Vivera retainer program.

[cynthiacharles]

It is very difficult to wear retainers 24/7; the best replacement for this is Invisalign which is much more durable than the Retainers and Braces.

[JillD]

the best replacement for this is Invisalign which is much more durable than the Retainers and Braces.

How? When I began to wear Essix 24/7, I was so glad that I hadn't opted for Invisalign. In my opinion, Essix is like wearing Invisalign.

[Bikerchick85]

the best replacement for this is Invisalign which is much more durable than the Retainers and Braces.

How? When I began to wear Essix 24/7, I was so glad that I hadn't opted for Invisalign. In my opinion, Essix is like wearing Invisalign.

I was wondering the same... Invisalign is a treatment not a form of retention. Unless you were speaking of their Vivera Program, which I stated I would be getting eventually.
That being said, Invisalign requires just as much if not more of a life-style change as 24/7 clear retainer use.

[SunshineRay]

I am only 24 hours into retainer life and think its much more difficult then braces!

[clairesky]

How are the retainers going? I think they are all going to have a bit of an odor in the morning especially the Hawleys

[JillD]

I soak my Hawleys in The cleaner that starts with the letter P that has been used in spam posts, so it's censored. and brush them every morning. I didn't notice any odor. BTW I wear my retainers only at night.

[LewisS]

As much as I love not having braces, the retainer is much more hassle. I don't mind wearing it, but I hate taking it out. Not sure if it's me but when I do, there's a gross taste/smell, especially after overnight wear. I just feel like my teeth are going to slowly decay and I'm going to get a ton of cavities. I brush and rinse every time I remove them and diligently keep them and my teeth clean. I really wish my ortho did hawley's...I'd be much less paranoid. I'm tempted to ask and pay for them because these are just the worst invention ever. Lets give someone with newly aligned, perfect teeth, a retainer which stores bacteria and gives them tooth decay!

[jem]

Hi LewisS

I'm sure your ortho will be happy to provide you with Hawleys if you pay for them. I wanted a Hawley because I understood that it would probably last for many years longer than the essix my ortho provided as part of my treatment. I paid an extra £89 for it. I have to wear it at night indefinitely.

Jem