Talk to me about braces and retainers

[Thalatta]

DD has a brace and her orthodontist has said that she should hopefully be able to have it taken off this summer. DD has been asking me about the next stage and I don't know so wondered if anyone on here could help (of course we'll also ask her orthodontist when we next see her).

Presumably next step is a retainer- does she need a fitting for this? Is that before or after the train tracks go? What's involved?

Any advice gratefully received. Thanks.

The day they take the braces off they take moulds for the retainers, and then 2 days later you go back and they fit them.

They have to be worn nightly for quite a few months, and then you can start reducing.

You wash them with liquid soap and a small toothbrush.

You go back for checkups for a year or so to check you are wearing them and the teeth aren't shifting.

DD1 stopped wearing hers and a lot of the good work was undone.
DD2 is being more sensible.

Yes as PP stated. Train tracks off. Mould taken. Collect retainers.
My DS had to wear then 24/7 except when cleaning and eating for 6 months. The overnight only. The overnight is a life long commitment.
My DS forget his retainers when he went on a holiday with his friends. After 5 days his teeth had moved sufficiently thar getting it back on was uncomfortable. Even after a night off he can tell. So he wears then every night.

His have been off 2 years now. Teeth still move. It's amazing really

We're just waiting to get the tracks fitted and orthodontist said the retainer will be long term.

His brace has been off 2 years I mean!

I have a fixed retainer, you can't see them as they are thin wires at the back of the teeth) and the night retainer that I wear every other night - the moulds for this was taken before the fixed retainers went on.

I was told years ago they didn't bother with retainers but teeth always want to move back to their original position, and that retainers should be worn for the rest of your life (or for how long you want straightened teeth!).

I find to clean them, those denture tablets work a treat, pop into a glass with the retainers and warm water. The night retainers can also be used to pop teeth whitening gel in, under dental supervision of course. Several years later for me and teeth and retainers still good so far.

Emphasis how important wearing retainers are. I had them when I was a teenager, over 30 years ago, and was very haphazard in wearing them and my teeth moved back to exactly how bad they were pre brace. Very depressing every time I look in the mirror and think what might have been…

This is all really helpful- thank you!

Very important to instill the message that retainers have to be worn for life or the teeth will move. Ds still has to wear his minimum 3x a week and he's had his off 6 years. I do think they need to make this very clear when deciding on braces, friend's kids have had to have braces again as they just didn't realise the importance of retainers or that they'd have to continue to wear them. Fortunately ds loves his Hollywood smile!

Tracks off. Mould for retainer taken. Return same day after 6 hrs to collect retainer. Purchase a case and the cleaner.
Told to wear it at night for life. But teen gave up after a month. That was a year ago.

And so far no movement but i do tell him to wear it.

I didnt wear mine and although theyre straight still they have moved slightly to one side a few mm when wisdoms came in.

Retainers are for life, at night.
They need replacing when they get damaged (around £80 - £100 per tray I think)
Although you can get fixed ones behind front teeth too.

You can get the bottom teeth with a fixed retainer but still need one for the top.

I’ve had my retainers for seven years now so I can’t recall what the initial process for me was! But they’re for life. I give myself a night off them each week! And if I have a cold I wear them every other night as I find they don’t help! I stick them in a glass of denture cleaner during the day - brushing them with toothpaste as originally suggested to me resulted in me having oral thrush. I can’t have the fixed retainers.