topic Re: Broken Retainer in Wellness

Broken Retainer

Icegoddess — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 19:15:24 GMT

The wire on the front of my bottom retainer broke the other night. I've had one of the side wires on the top retainer break a couple of years ago, but since it didn't seem to affect it staying in place, my Orthodontist didn't suggest replacing it. However, I don't think that would be the case for the lower one.

My Orthodontist is semi-retired now and has sold his practice, although when I ran into him recently at Lowes (can't believe he recognized me) he said he still worked at that practice once or twice a week.

I was wondering though if anybody haa had any experience with ordering replacement retainers online. I'm not talking the teeth grinding things you can get on Amazon for super cheap. I've found both the plastic Invisalign-style and the wire Hawley retainers like I have. From what I've read on an Orthodontic website, the plastic ones actually are better at keeping teeth in place, but aren't as durable as the Hawley style.

I've worn my old slip covers as my Dr called them when having dental work done. It seems every time I get a crown or a crown replaced, it's in the area where the holding wire is, so the dentist didnt really want me wearing my regular retainers until after I got my permanent tooth. Also, I've had temporaries pop off, and the slip covers are handy for keeping the tooth covered for a couple of days rather than having the temporary placed again.

I actually wore the bottom slip cover last night. It was a bit uncomfortable, sorta tight feeling, and due to a replaced crown it didn't sit all the way down in back. I can't really wear the top slip cover since I had all 4 front crowns replaced after having the work done, and those crowns are thicker than the ones I originally had.

I know a lot of people stop wearing their retainers after awhile, but I started the whole journey because my front tooth was slightly wiggling and now it's tight again, so I don't want to take a chance with my teeth moving back and losing a front tooth.

Re: Bro

SilleeMee — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 17:25:32 GMT

I have a custom soft night guard that I wear at night and as a retainer to help keep a loose tooth in place and from getting looser during the day. It's older than a couple of years and it doesn't seem to be showing any signs of needing a replacement yet. My dentist said he could make a hard plastic one if I wanted but I like the soft one. No idea what a hard one would be like.

That loose tooth is eventually going to be replaced with an implant but I can't have dental surgery until I'm done with bone density drugs. That could be years from now...ugh!

Re: Bro

Puggywuggy — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 17:07:21 GMT

I am in my 60's and my Orthodontist put a permanent or fixed retainer on my lower teeth and I use a clear, plastic removable retainer on my top teeth every night. I was told by my Orthodontist that teeth will continue to move and that if I wanted mine to stay straight I had to faithfully wear my retainer every night, which I have done with few exceptions.

As to ordering retainers thru the mail, I have no personal experience with it. Whatever you decide, good luck to you, I hope you have good results! ❤️

Re: Broken Retainer

Icegoddess — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 19:18:48 GMT

@SilleeMee @Puggywuggy , Thanks.

I don't kmow what happemed to my Title. It was supposed to be Broken Retainer. I saw the title under Wellness and wondered what in the world Bro had to do with Wellness.

Re: Broken Retainer

LuvSoCal — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 05:22:43 GMT

@Icegoddess I don't understand why you don't just go to the new orthodontist or the original one who goes in to the office part time. As you know, you will need to wear those retainers forever to ensure that your teeth don't continue to move. I started Invisalign treatment 5 months ago and that's what I would do. Maybe I missed something in your OP.

Re: Broken Retainer

AuntMame — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 10:17:39 GMT

I have a permanent retainer and it broke a couple times over the years. Each time my dentist cemented it back into place, until she said it would probably best to replace it. So that's what I did. It wasn't expensive. I can't imagine buying something from Amazon. Talk to your new dentist about the options to re-cement it or replace it.

Re: Broken Retainer

Icegoddess — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:31:30 GMT

@AuntMame wrote:
I have a permanent retainer and it broke a couple times over the years. Each time my dentist cemented it back into place, until she said it would probably best to replace it. So that's what I did. It wasn't expensive. I can't imagine buying something from Amazon. Talk to your new dentist about the options to re-cement it or replace it.

@AuntMame i specifically said Not from Amazon in my OP. There are other online manufacturers.

Re: Broken Retainer

Icegoddess — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:39:16 GMT

@LuvSoCal , I do plan on calling him. I was just looking at options. They aren't cheap. People do all kinds of stuff online these days we wouldn't have dreamed of doing in the past. I've even seen ads on TV for Invisalign-STYLE orthodontic work which appears to be completely online. It's still almost as costly as going in-person to one. I read the fine print and did the math.

Re: Broken Retainer

NYCLatinaMe — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 16:46:34 GMT

Hi @Icegoddess I was curious about this because I need some dental work. I may get braces. Amazon has some retainers available, but I have no idea how that might work, since they are "custom." I saw at least 3 products searching for dental retainers, but did not look at the details. between $100-$150. I saw a third one that stated it was temporary, $24.

Good luck!

Re: Broken Retainer

Icegoddess — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:14:26 GMT

@NYCLatinaMe On one site, I saw that the clear ones aare expected to last about a year. Don't think I'd want to pay $100 to $150 every year, but that is at least for an entire set. The Hawley ones are more expensive, but mine have lasted me several years.

It's gonna cost me $300 just for the bottom one. It would've been somewhat cheaper IF I used the clear ones and I had the forms. My Ortho did give me all the plaster forms they made but they can't use them for the wire retainers.

It would be nice to have another set of the clear covers to have just in case , but at least just to cover my teeth during dental work, I could probably use the ones for grinding teeth that you can get on Amazon.

Re: Broken Retainer

Effie54 — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:41:44 GMT

@Icegoddess Morning, having just had braces for 4 years, I can tell you to find an orthodontist in your area, make an appointment and definitely get another retainer. The type of retainer you seem to be describing is a Hawley retainer. I have not seen one of those in many years. I have and use a Vivera retainer, made by Invisalign. It looks and feels like a clear nightguard. It holds your teeth in place nicely. I had prices when I was younger, and I did not wear my retainer. My bite relapsed and hence...another 4 years getting my bite corrected. my orthodontist stress, the fact that teeth are always moving, and it would not take long before another relapse happened in the event. I did not wear my retainers every night. My advice is to see an orthodontist and get the correct retainer he/she recommends for you. An ill-fitting, or by mail nightguard can do more harm than good.

Re: Broken Retainer

Icegoddess — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 14:01:08 GMT

@Effie54 , yes I have the Hawley type retainers, and I have an appointment this morning.

The only reason I might want a simple mouth guard would be for those times when I'm having dental work done and my dentist doesn't want me to wear my retainer, or if my temporary tooth pops off, which has happened to me in the past. It would protect the stub so it wouldn't be painful every time I took a drink.

There is a site that sells the Hawley type retainers, and I was just looking to see if anybody had any experience with doing it online. I don't know that they would be ill-fitting. You make impressions just like they do at the Orthodontist's office. They're still rather costly. You're basically just cutting out the cost of the Orthodontist and the practice.

Not all businesses on the internet are bad or have shotty products.

Re: Broken Retainer

PilatesLover — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 14:21:53 GMT

That happened to me. Don't do what I did, and let it go. My teeth began to revert alarmlingly after ignoring it a couple years because they seemed fine, until they weren't.

My new dentist told me just go back to the orthodontic practice. The orthodontist said no problem, they can make a new one any time, and it wasn't really that costly. You can buy just a lower retainer, too.

A lot of them do it with laser technology now instead of the old tray impressions. I opted to do 10 weeks of Spark Aligners to get back the perfect alignment, and I'm getting my new night retainer next week.

It was quite a moment when that broken wire came flying out while flossing! I still don't know where it got flung to.

Re: Broken Retainer

Icegoddess — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 14:36:57 GMT

@PilatesLover the retainer broke last week. It's going to cost me $300 for just the lower one. I was just looking at options. I have an appt. today.

Re: Broken Retainer

Effie54 — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 19:06:47 GMT

@Icegoddess wrote:
@Effie54 , yes I have the Hawley type retainers, and I have an appointment this morning.

The only reason I might want a simple mouth guard would be for those times when I'm having dental work done and my dentist doesn't want me to wear my retainer, or if my temporary tooth pops off, which has happened to me in the past. It would protect the stub so it wouldn't be painful every time I took a drink.

There is a site that sells the Hawley type retainers, and I was just looking to see if anybody had any experience with doing it online. I don't know that they would be ill-fitting. You make impressions just like they do at the Orthodontist's office. They're still rather costly. You're basically just cutting out the cost of the Orthodontist and the practice.

Not all businesses on the internet are bad or have shotty products.

@Icegoddess Online mouth guard or retainer services aren't the same as going to an orthodontist. My orthodontist uses a scanner for a perfect fit; as the algenite molds aren't as accurate and old school. I only know because I've been there, done that...and then ended up getting braces again.

Re: Broken Retainer

Icegoddess — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 19:25:03 GMT

@Effie54 wrote:
@Icegoddess wrote:
@Effie54 , yes I have the Hawley type retainers, and I have an appointment this morning.

The only reason I might want a simple mouth guard would be for those times when I'm having dental work done and my dentist doesn't want me to wear my retainer, or if my temporary tooth pops off, which has happened to me in the past. It would protect the stub so it wouldn't be painful every time I took a drink.

There is a site that sells the Hawley type retainers, and I was just looking to see if anybody had any experience with doing it online. I don't know that they would be ill-fitting. You make impressions just like they do at the Orthodontist's office. They're still rather costly. You're basically just cutting out the cost of the Orthodontist and the practice.

Not all businesses on the internet are bad or have shotty products.
@Icegoddess Online mouth guard or retainer services aren't the same as going to an orthodontist. My orthodontist uses a scanner for a perfect fit; as the algenite molds aren't as accurate and old school. I only know because I've been there, done that...and then ended up getting braces again.

@Effie54 Except that I've spent 9 years in retainers made using impressions, not a scanner. The issue is moot though. I went to the Orthodontist this morning and gave them their $300. They did use a scanner on me, but when I called them they told me if I still had my mold, which I did, and wanted the clear ones, they could just use those. I'm thinking that probably wouldn't work though since I got an implant to fill in the hole of a missing tooth after I got the braces off, so the molds would not be correct.

Re: Broken Retainer

Pink123 — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 20:48:27 GMT

I had braces I think beginning when was 14 or so as I had crowded teeth so to speak and have 4 removed before the metal braces came on. They came off right before prom night so it was about 2 years. I then got my retainer. I used it for a few years and stopped entirely.

Of course I tried it on in under 2 years when I found it and it did not fit. However my teeth were not crooked only crowded. And the teeth are straight today. I'm sure they have moved.

Now my BF has very nice straight teeth but one side on top seems to dent in somewhat. Once again he got braces at 72. He did not tell me and came home with them. The clear ones. (personally I feel the metal old fashioned ones are superior when we were youngsters and yes I was called metal mouth as a teen. lol.)

Well after almost 2 years that did not work. He tried something else. Now at home and to sleep he wears a retainer and to hear him talk is too funny. The lisp is very strong indeed. His teeth are nice and don't get why he is messing around with them. Vanity I'm sure. To me, a waste of energy and money. I give up.

The cost of dentistry is astronomical today - WOW!.