Metal Mouth Message Board

Hey everyone! I had braces for a year and a half the first time. When they came off, I was given an Essex retainer which I wore for 5 months, and that held the teeth pretty well but my lateral incisors still moved up a little. Enough to be noticeable. I then switched to a Hawley and at that point they REALLY moved up. All the way back up and looked goofy. I got the braces put back on and my orthodontist said we would do a permanent retainer this time. They've been on for another year and a half and just came off. So he put a permanent retainer on my top 4 teeth (I did 4 instead of 6). And the Hawley retainer will be ready in about a week. He said I didn't need an Essex until then and that the removable is just for the back teeth since I've had extractions. But the permanent retainer holds the front teeth. I got my braces off Thursday and they've already moved. And the teeth that have moved are the lateral incisors again. The same ones. They've started to go up again. And some spaces are cracking open in between my front two teeth and between one of the lateral incisors and my front two teeth. I'm just gonna cry! How can they possibly move when there is a permanent there? I thought that holds them in place. Is it because we did 4 teeth instead of 6? But the permanent is on the teeth that are moving so I don't get it. Please help!

Please let me know what your orthodontist says! I had the same problem with my teeth moving on the bottom, front 6 teeth with a permanent retainer. I have a tongue thrust, so it pushed my teeth FORWARD. I had no essix or Hawley in FRONT to accompany it, though. I don't understand why they push the permanent retainer with it being so much maintenance, then it doesn't even work in the end I'm in my second round of braces. I'm supposed to get a Hawley this time around, possibly a permanent again when treatment is complete. I may rip that sucker out if the orthodontist does this again after he's seen how it didn't work...

I think the permanent retainer helps, but it no way would I do it as my only retainer. I'm doing both Hawley and the permanent and its doing good. Had some movement on the top but I also wasn't wearing my top one as much as I should.

I've heard from a lot of people who did the permanent only and then complain about teeth movement.

Thanks guys! I saw my ortho and he said they're not moving up. I think he saw what I meant with the slight spaces but now that I look back in pictures from when I first got them off, they were slight spaces. I think they've gotten slightly bigger but it doesn't appear to be a huge difference with those gaps. They look really good. I just can't figure out why they look a little different than the pictures of when I first got them off. Something just seems slightly off and I can't figure out what it is.

I got my Hawley retainer and it feels tight. It's really irritating. I feel like I'm biting on some of the acrylic even though he filed the retainer down and I'm scared it's going to get stuck. I wore it for an hour and it did get looser but I'm still not used to it and I'm really not thrilled with the idea of wearing it even at night. I don't like removable retainers. They really bother me and are such a hassle to have to take in and out and clean. I like the permanent retainers much better. They're comfortable and I don't have to do any work. I'm having health problems so having to clean them every night and take them in and out is a big deal. I don't have the energy for that. But even if the permanent is holding them in the front, it won't hold the canines since I only have it on 4 teeth and it won't hold the back teeth and I've had extractions so my ortho said spaces could open up in the back. Do you guys have any suggestions?

oldfart wrote:I think the permanent retainer helps, but it no way would I do it as my only retainer. I'm doing both Hawley and the permanent and its doing good. Had some movement on the top but I also wasn't wearing my top one as much as I should.

I've heard from a lot of people who did the permanent only and then complain about teeth movement.

If they give me Hawley retainers in addition to the bonded retainers, I will live with them AS LONG AS they bond them high enough above my gumline so that I will be able to floss. I do not want to get any periodontal disease in the future, I've never had problems with my gums or dental hygiene. OP I would love to see your photos!

I would hope it doesn't get loose in an hour. That would be a problem. My permanent is about a third tooth above gumline, so can easily floss under in and around it. I post a bunch of pics. Most are in my thread about my treatment. Go to the end for retainer pics. My permanent is no maintenance at all. Takes me about 20 sec extra to floss, that's about it.

http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=43985