Not sure. But for me my jaw pattern wouldn't support the teeth in the new position (lower jaw being to small/narrow) In time they would revert back to being crooked.
I use the plastic cover retainer that clicks over the teeth. At the moment it's 2 nights out of every 3. I find it soooo comfy so it's no biggee.
when I was a kid (long time ago) lots of us had braces in our teenage years but once they were off that was it.
why are retainers needed these days?
I'm not a dentist, but I imagine it's because when you're young, your jaw is still growing, and there's space for the teeth to spread out a bit. If you have crooked teeth corrected when you're older, and the bone structure is already set, they'll tend to go back to where they were unless you use something to hold them in the new position.
I'm not a dentist, but I imagine it's because when you're young, your jaw is still growing, and there's space for the teeth to spread out a bit. If you have crooked teeth corrected when you're older, and the bone structure is already set, they'll tend to go back to where they were unless you use something to hold them in the new position.
I assumed that too, although my daughter's teen friend didn't wear hers and her teeth moved back too. I know when I had mine as a kid I was never given a retainer after the treatment finished
The best way we describe it to patients at work is to think of your teeth as an elastic band; you can stretch /move the elastic band using your hands (force) but once you remove the force / stop stretching it it always trys to go back to its original shape... Same with teeth... Once the forces which are moving the teeth have been removed, the teeth naturally want to go back to how they were. If you aren't prepared to wear a retainer for pretty much the rest of your life (I'm talking night time not like 24 hours a day) then there's absolutely no point in spending all that money and time in braces.
The best way we describe it to patients at work is to think of your teeth as an elastic band; you can stretch /move the elastic band using your hands (force) but once you remove the force / stop stretching it it always trys to go back to its original shape... Same with teeth... Once the forces which are moving the teeth have been removed, the teeth naturally want to go back to how they were. If you aren't prepared to wear a retainer for pretty much the rest of your life (I'm talking night time not like 24 hours a day) then there's absolutely no point in spending all that money and time in braces.
The best way we describe it to patients at work is to think of your teeth as an elastic band; you can stretch /move the elastic band using your hands (force) but once you remove the force / stop stretching it it always trys to go back to its original shape... Same with teeth... Once the forces which are moving the teeth have been removed, the teeth naturally want to go back to how they were. If you aren't prepared to wear a retainer for pretty much the rest of your life (I'm talking night time not like 24 hours a day) then there's absolutely no point in spending all that money and time in braces.
I can see how that applies to adults, but is it the same with kids, when their jaws are still growing? Or only if some back teeth have been removed to create space, so that the teeth can settle into a new alignment?
Not that it's much use to me at my age, but I'm just interested!
It's the same for children as adults. Alot of people that are having adult orthodontics are people that previously wore braces as a child and were told to wear a retainer for 6 months and then stop, which they did, and gradually their teeth all moved back again, as retention isn't just a short term thing, hence as an adult they are wearing braces again.
Retention isn't uncomfortable, you can have a wire bonded behind the teeth which is "fixed" retention (hard to floss well though) and a removable retainer for night time. You would get used to wearing night time retainers, it's much the same as wearing bleaching trays at night to bleach your teeth or a night guard if you tend to clench and grind.
I'm going to call this week and make an appointment I think for this free consultation. Quite nervous about it all to be honest, even though I know I don't have to go through with anything.
Is a fixed retainer better than the night time ones?
It's the same for children as adults. Alot of people that are having adult orthodontics are people that previously wore braces as a child and were told to wear a retainer for 6 months and then stop, which they did, and gradually their teeth all moved back again, as retention isn't just a short term thing, hence as an adult they are wearing braces again.
Retention isn't uncomfortable, you can have a wire bonded behind the teeth which is "fixed" retention (hard to floss well though) and a removable retainer for night time. You would get used to wearing night time retainers, it's much the same as wearing bleaching trays at night to bleach your teeth or a night guard if you tend to clench and grind.
Hubby has both, but as I said, I had my teeth straightened 30 years ago, never wore a retainer and they've never moved back. Was I just lucky?
Comments
when I was a kid (long time ago) lots of us had braces in our teenage years but once they were off that was it.
why are retainers needed these days?
I use the plastic cover retainer that clicks over the teeth. At the moment it's 2 nights out of every 3. I find it soooo comfy so it's no biggee.
I'm not a dentist, but I imagine it's because when you're young, your jaw is still growing, and there's space for the teeth to spread out a bit. If you have crooked teeth corrected when you're older, and the bone structure is already set, they'll tend to go back to where they were unless you use something to hold them in the new position.
I assumed that too, although my daughter's teen friend didn't wear hers and her teeth moved back too. I know when I had mine as a kid I was never given a retainer after the treatment finished
Is a retainer uncomfortable to wear?
I can see how that applies to adults, but is it the same with kids, when their jaws are still growing? Or only if some back teeth have been removed to create space, so that the teeth can settle into a new alignment?
Not that it's much use to me at my age, but I'm just interested!
Retention isn't uncomfortable, you can have a wire bonded behind the teeth which is "fixed" retention (hard to floss well though) and a removable retainer for night time. You would get used to wearing night time retainers, it's much the same as wearing bleaching trays at night to bleach your teeth or a night guard if you tend to clench and grind.
Is a fixed retainer better than the night time ones?