I only had braces on for about 11 months. My bottom teeth is still a little crooked, yet when he left me with his assistant he said something very confusing about getting me a retainer for my bottom teeth. He also said something about tipping over. He also refered to my bottom teeth as straight which it is not.
I'm very worried that he's just gonna take my bottom braces off even if its still crooked. I think I might have to speak up & say I have a problem with that but I'm scared. People told me it might be a permanent retainer with the braces. Can anyone piece together what he meant or tell me what I should do?
2007-05-05 08:45:00 · 5 answers · asked by mr_aznguy 1 in Health ➔ Dental
Okay, typically after having braces people are given a retainer to wear! The purpose of a retainer as the name suggests is to retain the teeth in their new position after the removal of braces. For how long you have to wear a retainer depends on what type of retainer you are given (there are various different types). If it is a removable one it is typically worn 24 hours a day, everyday (except for eating and brushing teeth) for 6 months. After 6 months it is then worn only during the night for the rest of your life. If it is a fixed retainer this will be unremovable for the period that it fixed. It is important that you wear the retainer as advised because teeth can move back to their original position (worse case scenario). Some people don't bother with their retainer, and their teeth don't move, but is it worth taking the risk? Hence why you should follow the instructions given by the orthodontist. It could be possible that he is planing to fit a retainer which is designed to further straighten your teeth but since you do not say what kind of retainer the dentist has in mind for you it is difficult to know whether the dentist is right in removing your braces at this stage.
If you feel that your braces are not ready to come off let your orthodontist know! Also ask for clarification - don't be frightened! If you are young, then get one of your parents to come in with you, or a friend if you are an adult. Just by having a second pair of ears there to listen to what the orthodontist has to say, they may then be able to explain to you what he means. Don't feel like you are idiot or anything - dentists can often use technical jargon without realising that people without detailed medical knowledge do not understand, when to them it is just everyday language.
Good luck!!
2007-05-05 10:02:05 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am a member of two Brace forums and from what I have read (many, many posts) I should imagine you'd need to wear your removable reatiner more than just ONE night a week, that sounds a little too litle in my opinion. From what I have heard and read, most people wear their retainers 24/7 for the first 3-6 months. Then nightly for the next 6-12 months, then every other night and so on. After 2 years, personally, I'd think that just one night a week wasn't enough to keep teeth retained in the correct position. Also, fixed retainers (bonded retainers - a pice of metal behind front teeth) are usually put behind the front 6 teeth (not all teeth) and therefore the person would still need to wear a removable retainer to keep the rest of the teeth (back teeth) in place, unless, of course you had bonded retainer on more than just the first front 6 teeth.
2016-05-21 02:42:33 · answer #2 · answered by patrick 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a retainer is a brace that you put on your teeth after you get your braces off to keep you teeth straight. then after a year or so they will tell you that you can stop waring it. oh, you can take the retainer off when you eat and sleep.
2007-05-05 08:54:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I f your worried just get a second opinion
2007-05-05 08:51:38 · answer #4 · answered by hugswin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HELLO,
THIS RETAINER IS FOR AFTER YOUR CASES IS FINISHED.
IF YOU HAVE DETAILED QUESTIONS, ASK HIM DIRECTLY.
2007-05-05 08:50:22 · answer #5 · answered by Dr. Albert, DDS, (USA) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋