Every night for the rest of my life?

[jxds]

I also got the same instruction: every night for the rest of your life. It sounds exaggerated, but considering how many people are in their 2nd round in braces it probably isn't that exaggerated!

I'm ok with that: daywear was really annoying for me, but nightwear is just fine. It is not a problem, and I really want to keep my teeth straight!

[sgguy]

Yup, my ortho also said every night forever ..

[trampswife]

Do any of you have permanent retainers? My ortho said I would definately have perm on the bottom and probably behind the top two, as well as a Hawley on top every night forever. He said the perm because my front teeth have been crooked since I was 16 and they will always want to go back to that.

[jxds]

Yes, a part from the essix upper and lower, I have a bottom permanent retainer as well. But still they recomment nightwear "forever"

[plugnickel69]

[quote="jxds"]Yes, a part from the essix upper and lower, I have a bottom permanent retainer as well. But still they recomment nightwear "forever"[/quote]
Have gone for my first consult after about 47 years (I'm 63) since braces came off as bite is slowly shifting. Ortho is concerned that when he rotates canines we will not be able to keep them from rotating back. Have not yet decided on treatment, but expect that I will have to wear retainers for the rest of my life.

[sgguy]

Yes, a part from the essix upper and lower, I have a bottom permanent retainer as well. But still they recomment nightwear "forever"

Have gone for my first consult after about 47 years (I'm 63) since braces came off as bite is slowly shifting. Ortho is concerned that when he rotates canines we will not be able to keep them from rotating back. Have not yet decided on treatment, but expect that I will have to wear retainers for the rest of my life.

Are u only on essix retainers for both top n bottom jaw? i am.. my ortho says i've got to wear them every night at sleep forever..

[plugnickel69]

I have not started any treatment yet and am in discussions with both dentist and ortho. They want to take a conservative approach before an orthodontic solution. I've been wearing an orthodontic positioner on my upper teeth at night for over 20 years, so my uppers have stayed in line except for some canine rotation which is not noticeable to the untrained eye. Lower canines have rotated as well, tilt forward,and are slightly unaligned. There is some minor crowding on the lower jaw. Again, not too noticeable. But it does bother me somewhat and it can only worsen with time.

In my early teens I had 4 bicuspids extracted, full braces, and headgear at night. Total treatment lasted close to 3 years, but in those days the fitting of the bands for every tooth took forever, and in my case, I needed spacers between every tooth. Seems to me that many of us in those days wore bite plates for months before braces were placed. Had lower permanent retainer until it broke after about two years. Wore upper Hawley full time at night for about six months, then at night for about eight years.

Treatment in the early sixties was more barbaric than today, and they didn't seem to worry about roots or expanding arches. My roots go in all sorts of directions and some of my teeth slant forward or backward, though they are in line.

The most annoying problem now is my bite. Though my bite is relatively good and stable, my lowers have begun to contact the backs of my uppers when I bite. It really bothers me when my mind is not well-occupied and while driving -- and I spend at least two hours a day in the car. Moreover, I know I am damaging my teeth.

I had prepared myself for braces, and though I am a professional, would be willing to attempt an orthodontic solution if that's the best option. My wife wore braces in her early teens, and again in her late twenties. So I figure it's my turn again. As far as retainers, I know they'll be for life as I expect to keep my teeth. That part doesn't bother me as I wear the positioner every night now anyway, and so does she.

I might be throwing myself from the frying pan into the fire? But again, we're not yet sure of treatment, if any.

[sammywantstraightteeth]

I'm on invisalign - just under half way through treatment.

I'll be having 'genuine invisalign retainers' - which I take to mean the essex style ones. He said that for the first 3 months I'll have to wear them 22 hours a day (fine, just like invisalign itself but at least I won't be in pain 2 days out of every 14), then every night for a year. And then I should be able to start gradually reducing it until eventually I am down to 2 nights a week for life.

I am so looking forward to night-wear only. It'll be so great to sit in a restaurant and eat a 3 course meal without constantly looking at my watch.

Since my dentist can't predict what my teeth will do (everyone is different, no one really knows) I am taking his retainer guide with a pince of salt. If after the first time I take it off for a whole day it is difficult to get back on that evening, then I'll aim for 16 hours a day for a while and see if I can gradually reduce it. After close to a year of wearing these things 22 hours a day any extra time allowed without them will be such a relief!

[plugnickel69]

To: "sammywantstraightteeth"]

Having gone halfway through treatment, would you still do Invisalign if you were starting over today?

[sammywantstraightteeth]

Hi plugnickel69.

Short Answer: Yes.

Long Answer:
If I had traditional braces I'd be one of those people who had terrible tooth decay underneath them when they were taken off. I've never been very good at brushing/flossing, and the generally yuckiness of putting these things back on after eating without brushing has forced me to get into a proper habit of brushing and flossing. My teeth and gums are in better condition than they have ever been. If I had traditional braces the additional areas where plaque can build up would probably have caused me significant issues.

I have days where I get miserable about them. It would be nice just to be able to eat when I feel like it and not have to plan things out so that I can go through the required routines and not leave the aligners off too long. But those days are rare, and mostly I forget about them. Today is not a good day, because I put set 12 on last night and they are mean. And tomorrow is the work christmas party, where I am being treated to a 5 (FIVE!) course meal. How I'm going to manage that without breaking several rules I don't know. Oh well.

Overall I'm pleased with the way my teeth are moving, and although Invisalign kind of takes over your life at first, and means long term changes to routines - those routines soon become habit.

That being said, I can't wait for this to be over!

[TimSeattle]

I wear my retainers every night and my teeth haven't moved in four years. Just as important as keeping your teeth straight, good hygiene is essential to avoid cavities and gum disease. Since getting braces, I'm obsessive about brushing and flossing. I also avoid soft drinks and sugary snacks, which are bad for teeth.

[anniegirl]

I am only a month into wearing my braces, and have been told I will need to wear retainer at night when I get the braces off. I didn't think that would be a big deal to keep my teeth in the right position, but now after looking at this thread I am beginning to wonder; are retainers really uncomfortable to wear at night????

[plugnickel69]

anniegirl: I depends on the type of retainer and the individual person. My wife and I have been wearing nightguards received from our dentist every night for nearly 20 years. They're way, way bulkier than retainers. It just becomes a thing you do and become accustomed to. At my consult the other day the ortho asked me who my dentist was and if I wore a night guard. When I told him who the dentist was, he kidded that every one of her patients wears a night guard. I responded that even her parents did -- which I know as a fact.

So, in effect, don't get concerned about it at this time. You probably won't have any trouble adjusting. You should get used to it very quickly, especially after dealing with the braces hardware.