Ugh.... Retainers....

[Hannah Katke]

I just got my braces off and my teeth look great! However I'm going tomorrow to get a retainer and I'm not looking forward to it.... I have a very small mouth and the braces made it look cluttered and even smaller. I don't want a retainer because I know it'll have the same effect. Now I know it's necessary unless I want braces again, but can I get away with wearing it when I'm sleeping and just around the house? I had a bite plate and got an awful lisp and I don't want to go back to it. Any ideas? They are giving me the pull out kind

 

[LaSorcia]

The answer is: it depends lol. If your teeth move back and shift you will have to wear it more often. You might be able to wear it all the time and then switch to night time. My daughter gets away with just wearing her retainer a few hours a week. Not me lol (we had braces together). I gotta wear a retainer a lot more often.
Pay attention to your teeth's position and cutting back on time is better than just going without the retainer at first. You don't want to mess them up!

 

[Butterfly99]

Congrats on getting your braces off!!!!! I had braces in middle school & know what a relief that is! Well my orthodontist just had me wear the retainer all day for like 6 months. Since then it's only been at night. Ask your orthodontist how long you're supposed to wear it during the day.

It's real important to keep wearing it at night. My mom is in her 40s and needs to get braces again on her lower teeth cause they've shifted over time. She had braces at the same age I did (12-13) & her teeth were perfect for a long time. She stopped wearing her retainer after she finished hs & over the years her teeth moved around. The top still looks good but they said they could move too. The bottom teeth are crooked. She's getting those invisible braces but still it's not something you want to have to do again. So yeah talk to your orthodontist about it.

 

[alba-eden]

I still have my braces on, so I can't suggest anything about retainers yet, but what was it like with the bite plate? I have to get one soon; is it as bad as people say?

 

[Hannah Katke]

I still have my braces on, so I can't suggest anything about retainers yet, but what was it like with the bite plate? I have to get one soon; is it as bad as people say?

It wasn't that bad. Just be sure and keep it clean and it won't be so bad. I got a lisp but it went away. It just feels weird at first