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That's a hawley retainer. Essix are the clear ones like invisilign.
I've heard hawley's do a better job, that the teeth are less likely to shift but they're harder to talk with. I had one as a teen and hated it! But I'll be getting hawley's when I get debraced and I'll be wearing them as prescribed...that's for sure!!
Keep smilin'!
Jenny
Braced for 18 months: Damon 3mx all around with Damon 3's on "social six". Now is Essix retainers for 10 hours/night.
Yep, Essix are the clear ones. I'm supposed to wear mine 24/7 for a year and then only overnight.
I did ask my ortho about Hawleys and I told him I was more than happy to wear them if he thought they'd do a better job with my teeth. But he said that he'd been using Essix for years and he was really happy with their results and didn't think there would be any problems in me using them. The one downside is that that they don't have as much scope for tweaking, but asl long as I am not a bad patient that doesn't wear my retainers as prescribed that'll be irrelevant.
On another note, I got an email from my ortho telling me how diligent a patient I had been and how happy I should be with the results. He had actually said a number of times that he wished he had used me as one of his cases for the Orthodontic Board because my case was so difficult but we achieved so much. I thought that was kinda nice.
In his email he also said that I can have as many spare retainer cases as I wanted, free. Hehehe. Sweet.
Braced 20 Nov 06. Sentenced to 18-30 months. Released 23 Feb 09 (27 months and 3 days).
Uppers: 3M Clarity Ceramic. Lowers: Damon 3MX.
SARPE 21 April 06 and 7.5 months in expander (on for 2 weeks before surgery), turning to a width of 14.5mm.
Thanks Sallymonster. I had them on for 2 years, 3 months, and 3 days. And I had the expander for about 8 months before that so it was close enough to 3 years of appliances.
I don't know about you but I got kind of 'zen' about it after about 18 months. I just figured it was going to take as long as it took and I wasn't going to think about it too much because there wasn't much I could do about it (other than follow my ortho's instructions to the letter). I'd also just gotten so used to them it was just 'me'.
That said, I definitely felt jealous every time someone posted debanding photos - especially if they'd had them on for a lot shorter than me! Hope you get there soon.
Braced 20 Nov 06. Sentenced to 18-30 months. Released 23 Feb 09 (27 months and 3 days).
Uppers: 3M Clarity Ceramic. Lowers: Damon 3MX.
SARPE 21 April 06 and 7.5 months in expander (on for 2 weeks before surgery), turning to a width of 14.5mm.
overseasmel wrote:Yep, Essix are the clear ones. I'm supposed to wear mine 24/7 for a year and then only overnight.
Dang, a year?!
I hope I don't have to wear my Hawley's for that long all day! I am ready for just night time wear lol. But I always hear them when I'm in the office waiting to be seen to some patients they tell them 6 week retainer checks and then a 3 month after that and that's it. So I'm thinking I'll be stuck with 24/7 wear for about 4-5 months. The Hawley's are very tight against the teeth. I'm not sure how much pressure the essix's puts on the teeth. It just feels like I'm still kinda in braces. Only difference is I get to take them out. But they're such a hassle to take in and out after eating. Sometimes the braces were a smidge easier!
Sentenced: 20-24 months
Braced May 11, 2007
Debraced Feb. 23, 2009
21 months in braces, 17 months in elastic, NO regrets!! Now in Hawley retainers!!
Hehe it's kind of ironic isn't it? I have the same feeling Kirjax - yep its awesome to not have braces anymore and to be able to eat the food that I want. But wearing these retainers 24/7 is so darned fiddly. Especially since I eat frequently (relatively fast metabolism; get hungry every few hours!). Apparently I am supposed to brush my teeth and clean my retainer every time I eat, so I'm doing it like 4-5 times a day at the moment! And that's me trying to cut down on how often I snack - I think I'd probably need to do it 6 or 7 times if I actually ate when I wanted to eat. So yeah, now I can eat what I want - I just can't eat when I want anymore!!
Braced 20 Nov 06. Sentenced to 18-30 months. Released 23 Feb 09 (27 months and 3 days).
Uppers: 3M Clarity Ceramic. Lowers: Damon 3MX.
SARPE 21 April 06 and 7.5 months in expander (on for 2 weeks before surgery), turning to a width of 14.5mm.
Wow! What an amazing smile you have now! I keep looking at your photos and can't believe it's you in both before and after! On the "before" photos you look like a kid, on the "after" photos you look like one beautiful lady! Even your lips look fuller after the braces. Enjoy your beautiful smile with pride!
Do you remember how it was with the expander at the beginning? I'm supposed to put one in about 10 days (removable, like a retainer) and I'm so scared how I'll be able to talk and overall would it hurt. Do you remember how it was with you?
Wow- what amazing results! I bet you can't quit from grinning or checking out your sensational smile in the mirror.
You just inspired me to get through by next adjustment...tomorrow!
