First time doing braces was a nightmare. The guy turned out to be only a dentist who did braces, not an orthodontist. Two years of wasted "treatment" and about $4k was wasted. The second was a great ortho who and I have been extremely happy with the results.
During my five year ordeal I was on ArchWired many times to seek advice, vent, and read other's stories. It was nice to have a community of supportive people who understood what you were going through, and who shared the same feelings and challenges. I am very grateful for this website and its owner.
A week ago my upper lingual retainer broke (after five years?). I HATED having a permanent upper retainer, so I decided to replace it with an Essix, removable retainer. It cost me about $400 CDN, which is about $300 US. Very expensive.
However, I just found out that these last only a couple years! Is this true? Can anyone who has had them tell me how long they last? They seem prone to warping and tearing.
Also, I came across a website http://www.dental-lab-direct.com/ that supposedly sends them through the mail. You get a kit and send in your impressions. However, I learned that another company (Neonbrite) does the same thing and has many complaints, and is basically a scam.
Has anyone ever gotten Essix retainers through the mail from these companies or elsewhere, and if if so, were the retainers any good?
Thanks in advance for your responses! It's nice to be back here.
