Metal Mouth Message Board

For those of you who were told to wear your retainer 24/7, do you honestly wear it ALL the time??? I mean, obviously you take it out to brush and to eat but what about the rest of the time? I've had my retainer for a week now and I'm suppose to wear it full time for 2 months. I know I need to wear it because I don't want to ruin what 2 years of braces has done for me yet I hate it SO much! I have to talk to people at work all day and I find it really challenging with a retainer in my mouth. I use to date my supervisor (whole 'nother story and a BIG mistake) and since getting my braces off he's asked me to go out with him again . I told him no, but long story short, today I went to ask him something and this time I had my retainer in and he's like "What the *BLEEP* is in your mouth? You looked so hot since you got your braces off and now you've got THAT thing in your mouth". It may have just been excuse for him to look in my mouth though..he wanted to inspect it. I couldn't care what he thinks but he basically vocalized how I feel about wearing retainers. I feel like I have this big bulky thing in my mouth!
But ANYHOW, I usually wear my retainer for a while at work, then take it out for a bit, then put it back in, etc. but whenever I'm at home I wear it constantly. Does anyone else do that and do you think it's ok? Also I'm in a wedding this weekend and I want to leave my retainer out for the wedding because I'd REALLY like to have a metal free smile in the pictures. Getting my braces off has been a bittersweet experience. My teeth are technically "naked" now but I have to cover them up anyways blehhhh!!

oh dear naomi, I am sympathising with you even though I dont have a retainer yet. I have already told my ortho I am going to go for a permanent retainer as I also have to do a lot of talking in my profession and a removeable retainer just wouldnt do. Maybe you should think about it as well, it would make your life a lot easier

I've been wondering about this aswell. I'm scheduled to get my tops off on July 10, and I am having mixed feelings about the retainer. Although my ortho has told me that I'll be getting a Hawley with a clear wire, the thought of having to wear it full time scares the crap out of me, since I have a horrible gag reflex. I'm willing to try it, but if I find it too bad, I'll definitely request a bonded one.

Naomi, I'm not there yet with retainers, but on a side note, be glad you found out about how your supervisor, ex-boyfriend feels. I'd say wearing the retainers was a blessing here if you know what I mean. Just my opinion.

P.S. Now go put that retainer back in your mouth!
P.S.S. I think it would be ok to go 'naked' for the wedding.
P.S.S.S. Is that retainer in your mouth yet?

Naomi, I'm not there yet with retainers, but on a side note, be glad you found out about how your supervisor, ex-boyfriend feels. I'd say wearing the retainers was a blessing here if you know what I mean. Just my opinion.

P.S. Now go put that retainer back in your mouth!
P.S.S. I think it would be ok to go 'naked' for the wedding.
P.S.S.S. Is that retainer in your mouth yet?

LOL Chris! You'll be happy to know that I'm wearing my retainer right now AND I'm glad you approve of me going naked to the wedding (not so sure what the guests will think though ).

I only wear mine 24/7 because they are permanent I agree with Chris, your retainers are a blessing in disguise! Have a good day everybody!

naomi,

You'll be okay going naked for the wedding, you've earned it at this point. I do forget to put mine back in after meals, sometimes for an hour or so, but other than that I'm pretty good.

Your bosses comments were very rude and probably ignorant. I have dated three different women during the time I have had a retainer 24/7. One of them worked in an orthodontists office so she picked up on it right away, the young lady I am currently dating is a doctor and she picked up on it because she scrutinizes me with a virtual magnifying glass, and a third young lady also picked up on it quickly but all three were supportive. Of guys and everyone else, only one other person has said anything and was supportive. Last year I dated someone who wore her retainer on dates and to group outings, even to eat at restaurants. She told me that some people made some rude comments but that didn't dissuade her, it went off her like water off a duck's back. I think of her when I think of not wearing mine out for the evening or for a daytrip. Sounds corny, but its true.

Some people who have never had braces or who don't know what they are might react differently, but thats just them being ignorant. You've done a great thing by getting through braces and you should be proud you did it and proud to protect your investment of time, money, and pain regardless of what anyone says.

I can totally empathise with how you feel about wearing your retainers.

I'm still braced on the bottom, and have a bonded retainer AND an Essix on top. My mouth always feels so full, and I always have a funny taste in my mouth.

I don't have anything constructive to add, except to say I totally get how you're feeling - I though once I got my braces (half) off things would be great, but TBH it's all a big PITA

Naomi,

I agree.
I sleep in my essix retainers, and when I get out of the shower in the morning I take them out to brush my teeth, then I don't put them back in until around 10:00am - after I have a snack at work in the morning. Then I brush my teeth and put them back in, only to have to do the same thing at lunch. So they are IN and OUT all day long. It gets to be a hassle, but not as much pain as the braces were poking my cheeks, and food getting caught everywhere. I'm suppose to wear them 4-5 months full time and then less time after that. But like you said, you don't want to mess up all those months/years of straightening them.
FYI - I wouldn't wear them at the wedding either.

To those of you who have owned up to taking some breaks from 24/7 retainer wear, have you noticed any obvious consequences? And for how long a period have you left them out, and how soon after getting debanded?

My braces come off in two weeks, and I've got my ten-year high school reunion two weeks after that. I'd really like to leave my retainers out (they'll be Essix) for the six hours or so of the reunion, but I don't want to permanently mess things up just for the sake of one evening!

Unlike in Naomi's story, I already know that some of the people I went to school with are obnoxious jerks, so I don't need the retainer to gauge reactions as a personality litmus test. Thanks for raising a good question Naomi, sorry such an unpleasant experience triggered the post though!

haha. Wait until your 25th reunion. The playing field is totally leveled by then! All those obnoxious jerks are not "all that" anymore

erica wrote:To those of you who have owned up to taking some breaks from 24/7 retainer wear, have you noticed any obvious consequences? And for how long a period have you left them out, and how soon after getting debanded?

My braces come off in two weeks, and I've got my ten-year high school reunion two weeks after that. I'd really like to leave my retainers out (they'll be Essix) for the six hours or so of the reunion, but I don't want to permanently mess things up just for the sake of one evening!

Unlike in Naomi's story, I already know that some of the people I went to school with are obnoxious jerks, so I don't need the retainer to gauge reactions as a personality litmus test. Thanks for raising a good question Naomi, sorry such an unpleasant experience triggered the post though!

YAY for two weeks! And right before your reunion, that is lucky I'm sure that I will be forever shunned for what I'm about to type ( ), but if I were you, I would of course wear my retainers 24/7 up until the 6 hours, and then in the car on the way home after the 6 hours pop them right back in again. Have fun at your reunion!!!!!! I myself haven't experienced one, but I can't wait until I do!

I've thought about this too, although I can't say from experience quite yet. I have a feeling, though, that I won't be wearing my retainers full time. I will most definately wear them at night and while I'm at home during the day, or even just out with my friends, but for when I go out for special occasions I can't see myself wearing them. Or work, even, I definatley won't wear them for work-I work at a frozen custard store so I can't exactly be spitting at customers. Plus, I've had braces for so long, it'll be nice to look my age for once and I'm not going to ruin that with a hawley retainer. I figure I've been through probably about 30 months where my teeth have only moved miniscule amounts-basically I've had permanent retainers for the last 30 months of my treatment so my teeth should be stabilized and considering that my teeth were straight before I got braces, I don't think they'll be too much of a problem in staying straight.

At least I hope not...

Eve

I am struggling with this very issue of retainer wear! I got my hawleys three weeks ago and I am still having a very hard time talking with the upper retainer. I deal with the public at my job and I just can't talk clearly while wearing the upper! The lower one is no problem at all, and I wear that one all the time since it has a spring in it, which is pushing a wayward lower tooth upright (this tooth could never straighten during my three plus years of braces!).

But the upper, I do take it out for four hours at a time on about three days a week (since I only work part-time). I never have a problem with it feeling tight or anything when I put it back in. It's the best I can do, and I can't risk losing my job because I can't communicate! I thought Hawleys would be easier to adjust to, but it's been very hard. I have to wear the Hawleys full-time for 8 months or so. I will be getting bonded ones at a later date. I hope how much I wear them is good enough!

I wore my retainer pretty much 24/7 until my ortho told me that I could wear it just at night. I did take short breaks -- for example if I was going out for a few hours -- or obviously eating meal -- or whatever. But it was never more than a few hours that I had my retainer out.

It's especially important to wear it as much as possible in the first 4 to 6 months after the braces come off.