5-Year Report

[TimSeattle]

It has been about 5 years since I've had braces. My teeth are still as straight as when the braces were removed. I'm using my original Essix retainers, which I wear every night. I use excellent dental hygiene and have had no cavities or gum problems since braces. I had a right upper molar implant placed a few years ago due to a tooth that was extracted before I got braces in 2004. The main reason I got braces was to improve my bite and protect my teeth frrm excessive stress and wear. Cosmetic improvement, while important, was secondary. I am pleased that both goals have been accomplished.

I hope that this update will encourage all of you who are in braces or have just gotten them removed that braces are completely worth the time and discomfort. Remember to wear your retainer regularly for life, use good dental hygiene, and get regular dental exams. Your teeth will look great and last you a lifetime!

[BraceFace2o1o]

Hi Tim

Thanks for posting your great update. It's very encouraging to read that your essix retainers have kept your teeth exactly in place 5 years on

So you are still wearing the essix retainer that you got 5 years ago... Wow that's also great to read. I've read a few posts by people saying theirs broke within 2 years and so then they had to pay to get a new one.

Do you use anything specific to keep yours essix retainers clean and clear? I am most likely going to choose the essix retainers but I'm worried about keeping them clean and stopping them from becoming 'cloudy'/discoloured

How long after having your braces removed did you switch to night wear only?

Do you also have a bonded retainer?

I am sorry for all the questions. I'm due to be debraced soon so I am currently doing my research on retainers 

[catgyrl]

Tim-

This is a great post! I'm so happy and encouraged to hear that you're still wearing your original retainers, and also that your teeth look great! I just got my braces off last week and could not be happier. I actually LOVE my retainer. I guess I've gotten so accustomed to that feeling of my teeth being "held together", that I don't really mind it.

@BraceFace2010 - I've been using the RetainerBrite tablets for my Essix, and they work great! The SonicBrite powder and cleaning machine is great, too. I think I will use the tablets for daily cleaning (morning and evening) and the SonicBrite once a week for a more thorough cleaning. During the day I just rinse it with cold water and pop it back in.

As for my permanent retainer, it doesn't bother me at all. Yes I can feel it, but it's not a distraction.

[BraceFace2o1o]

@BraceFace2010 - I've been using the RetainerBrite tablets for my Essix, and they work great! The SonicBrite powder and cleaning machine is great, too. I think I will use the tablets for daily cleaning (morning and evening) and the SonicBrite once a week for a more thorough cleaning. During the day I just rinse it with cold water and pop it back in.

As for my permanent retainer, it doesn't bother me at all. Yes I can feel it, but it's not a distraction.

Thanks catgyrl
I'm glad you like the retainer brite because I keep seeing it at my orthos office but didn't know whether people would recommend it or not. I can also easily get it online which is good

Were you advised to brush your essix retainers at all with a toothrbush? I have read some people do this and they have been ok but have also read others say it scratches the retainers and then allows the icky stuff to stick and build up more

I really want to go for the essix, my ortho makes them in office so I will get them a lot quicker than a hawley. Also them being clear is a bonus too. I think they are cheaper to replace if I somehow break them... So it seems the positives outweigh the the negatives for me now. I had originally set my mind on the hawleys but think I am 99% sure I'm going to go with the essix retainers

[catgyrl]

@BraceFace2010 - my ortho's office is horrible when it comes to giving out instructions for anything. I was given ONE denture tablet (couldn't even tell what brand it was, and they never told me) to clean my retainer. I threw it away. I was also told I could use a toothbrush, but no toothpaste. I was never told when I needed to come back for my retainer check; had to ask the receptionist that myself on the way out. Sooo... I put no value in what they tell me. I'd much rather get my advice from the wonderful people on this message board.

I think that as long as you clean it every day, and keep your teeth clean when you put it in, you won't have a big problem with tartar buildup, so not much of a need to scrub them down. The tablets do a great job at cleaning it. Then I rub with my fingertips as I rinse with cold water.

My Essix is completely unnoticeable, unless you stick your face up to mine and I open up REALLY wide to show my upper gums (and really, how often do we do that?) mine was made in-house, too. Took about 15 minutes or so, so I just chilled out in the chair.

[BraceFace2o1o]

@BraceFace2010 - my ortho's office is horrible when it comes to giving out instructions for anything. I was given ONE denture tablet (couldn't even tell what brand it was, and they never told me) to clean my retainer. I threw it away. I was also told I could use a toothbrush, but no toothpaste. I was never told when I needed to come back for my retainer check; had to ask the receptionist that myself on the way out. Sooo... I put no value in what they tell me. I'd much rather get my advice from the wonderful people on this message board.

Oh dear that's a bummer but as long as you are happy with how your teeth are and the retainers that is the main thing. I think it is good to read about others experiences with retainer cleaning as through trial and error we can try and choose the best way to do it

unless you stick your face up to mine and I open up REALLY wide to show my upper gums (and really, how often do we do that?)

That's true!

Thanks again for replying and explaining how you are keeping yours clean

Sorry that I hijacked your thread Tim, I'll be quiet now

[mmmmeeee]

I think it is great that you have had good results, even after five years. I agree very much with what you have said. It is so worth wearing your retainers at night, even if it is a little bit of an inconvenience.
I have been out of retainers for about 15 years and wear them almost every night. My teeth have changed a tiny little bit over time but they are still lined up nice and straight. The set of hawley retainers I have now has lasted about 13 years (with them being worn at night only). I can't believe they have lasted that long!

[mmmmeeee]

**Sorry, I meant out of braces for 15 years, not retainers**

[Jethro]

Great to hear some long-term success stories...thanks for posting!

[TimSeattle]

@Braceface--I have had the same pair of Essix retainers for 5 years. I rinse them each morning and clean with a toothbrush without toothpaste. Every once in a while I clean them using a sonic cleaner. I switched to nighttime use only after about 3 months. After a year, you can actually wear the retainers less frequently than every night, but I've kept up the habit of nightly wear. There's no discomfort, so why not. I don't have a bonded retainer. My dentist feels that there can be a problem with performing good dental hygiene when fitted with a bonded retainer, but there are no hard and fast rules about this.

All the best......Tim

[TimSeattle]

Here I am again to report that at the six-year mark, everything is still good! Something that wearing braces taught me is to take great care of my teeth. I do and it pays off. I like some of the newer products that are available for flossing and gum care. And I found a terrific new, flexible tongue scraper, BreathRx, that I now use. I have no regrets that I had braces for 3 years; the results have been worth way more than any annoying inconvenience I went through.