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Ask an Orthodontist: Should I wear my retainer?
March 9, 2011 
13 Comments
This week’s featured Smile Generation Dentist is an Orthodontist! In case you were wondering, orthodontics is the dental specialty and practice of preventing and correcting irregularities of the teeth. Think braces and retainers.
Dr. Sergio Ferreira is the orthodontist at San Clemente Dental Group, a member of the Smile Generation family. He has been practicing orthodontics since 1997. His jovial personality helps him form relationships with patients. You get a sense of his pleasant disposition in his answers to these two questions posted on our Facebook page.
Q. From Alicia Johnson:
“I had braces for 2 years when I was about 11-12 or 13 (don’t remember exactly). I wore my removable retainer (top teeth) nightly until about freshman year of college and stopped. I have since put in my old retainer a few times and it is tighter- would it hurt to start wearing it at night again to make my teeth as tight together as they used to be? ( I am now 25, so I haven’t worn it for about 6 years) THANKS!!!”
A. Hello Alicia!!!!!
The biggest mistake orthodontic patients can make after treatment is not wearing their retainer. A lot of patients need braces again for not wearing retainers properly… It looks like you did follow the instructions. Regarding your question about whether you should start wearing your retainer again,
Well, it all depends on how your teeth look. If they look good, and if you do not present any crowding or spacing, and if your wisdom teeth are erupted or extracted, you do not need to go back to the retainer.
Wisdom teeth may be responsible for shifting of teeth. It is normal for your retainer to feel tight after 6 years because teeth always shift a bit. If you see spacing or crowding, “Yes”, you should start to wear the retainer every night again. If the retainer feels very tight, it means that your teeth are moving or moved a lot. If it feels a bit tight, this is normal after 6 years. Retainers are like “money in the bank”. More is better. If you start to wear it again, your teeth will feel tight for a few days until you get used to it again.
I always tell my patients: Wearing retainers to sleep does not bring any inconvenience to you. They are the “pajamas for your teeth.” I am much older than you and I still wear mine! I had treatment as an adult and stability is harder.
Q. From Katee Afshar:
“ What is Phase 1 and why do most dentists think it’s so important?”
A. Hello Katee!!!!!
This is a very important question!
Phase I treatment in Orthodontics is an early treatment performed when the child is in mixed dentition (from 6 to 9 years of age). It is very important to understand that the child may need to go to phase II of treatment. It is necessary to make this very clear to the parents.
A lot of doctors do not explain that and when phase II is needed, parents do not have money or the insurance was used already… Parents must ask the doctors what will be accomplished on phase I. I’ve seen many cases where patients just had four brackets and nothing was accomplished. I do perform phase I, but only when it is really necessary. In lots of cases, I’d rather wait for full treatment.
Here are some cases when Phase I is recommended:
- Posterior or anterior crossbites. Basically, a crossbite is when one or all of the upper teeth are inside the lower teeth when you bite. It is much more difficult to treat when one is an adult. Sometimes, only surgery can correct some cases.
- Extreme flaring of upper incisors.
- Severe crowding. Expansion of the arches or serial extraction of deciduous teeth may be performed in an early age to open spaces for erupting teeth.
Depending on the age, I usually combine both phases of treatment and perform full treatment for about 3 years. It is more cost-effective that way. I do not like the idea when phase I is finished and parents are charged again to go to Phase II. A detailed treatment plan must be always reviewed by the parents. Lots of problems presented in mixed dentition can be easily treated in full treatment case.
Author Info
I got my braces off about 4 years ago and followed all of my orthodontist’s instructions on wearing retainers. My last instruction (probably from a year ago) was to wear it every now and then at night to keep the teeth from shifting, which I do once or twice a week, but it feels a bit tight when I first put them in. I also just had my wisdom teeth out, so I didn’t wear them for nearly two weeks and when I just put them in they hurt and hardly “click” in all the way. I’m also concerned the wire portion over the teeth got bent. Is it normal for the retainers to not fit after the surgery or should I be concerned that my teeth have shifted? (If they have shifted, should I still try to mash the retainer in or…?)
Hi Kate, we’ll ask our orthodontist and let you know when he has an answer.
I got my braces off about a year ago, and had to wear a retainer (clear plastic on top teeth) and I wore every night like he said, and then I just stopped. I don’t remember why, but today I tried to put it back in and it hurt really bad! My top middle teeth shifted a bit, and a tooth the. Grew in in side of a tooth that I recently lost is sticking out a bit. Is it bad to just try to push the retainer in and suck it up? I have been wearing it off and on because I’m not supposed to eat with it in.
Thank you for your question. We will send it to one of our Smile Generation-trusted orthodontists. In the meantime, if you need to see an orthodontist, please search one up on smilegeneration.com and make an appointment.
I had my braces removed and wore my retainer for a while but then it kept slipping myind to put it in and now I can’t even put it on or my teeth hurt like crazy and the retainer won’t stay on.So I gave up on the retainer.but now lately after months of not wearing it,my gums and teeth have been hurting and throbbing constantly and I’m wondering if me not have worn my retainer be why.
I only had my had my braces on for a year and a half because of the speed my teeth move. I’ve had my braces off for a year now and wear my retainer everyday but if I take my retainer of for 5 to 10 minutes my retainer gets tight and I can feel my teth shift is that suppose to happen? Was I suppose to have my braces longer they initially said 3 years.
After about 2 weeks my daughter doesn’t seem to mind it much at all. Originally it bothered her when she was reading at school but now that she has adjusted to the feeling she is doing just fine. I think it was more about her feeling self conscious but so far so good.
Waiting on Kristina’s question to be answered, cause I have the same question.
I just got my braces removed and now wearing plastic retainers. I just wanted to know if it was okay to wear my retainer during sports such as volleyball?
I have a question. I am 28 and had my braces removed at 17. I wore my retainer (which is the clear plastic kind no wires) for about a year after. Ive had my wisdom teeth removed and recently found my old retainers. I put them both on and at first they wouldnt even stay on but after 20 mins they would. It hurt a little and I want to wear them again at night. But my question is… is it wise? Since its been 10 years Im wondering if I could loosen my teeth by making them move back in place so quickly. I read about the possibility of them ripping from the gums? What is best for me to do?
Thanks for your question Kristina. We will ask one of our orthodontists on your behalf.
My question is similar to Kristina’s. I found my retainer (the wire and plastic kind) after some 6 years of not wearing it and was also wondering if I could start to wear it again. I have noticed that one side of my top teeth seem to sit slightly lower/at a different angle than before. My wisdom teeth have grown out about halfway so my teeth are pretty snug. I’m able to put on my retainer but it sits lower on my teeth than it did before and the wire is crooked in front (probably due to shifting of teeth). The retainer sits tightly but it stays in place. My main question is: Could I be doing damage to my teeth or loosening them since the wire in my retainer sits lower on my teeth rather than on the center of my teeth as before?
Thank you…
Well!! i just used it for six months..and even nightly..All is well. I’d like to suggest it not as a burden, you can just use it overnight