Has anyone got a fixed retainer?

I've had one on for the last 12 years and it has been fine. I have regular check ups at the dentist and hygenist. They give it a good clean every six months but it hasn't caused me any troubles to date and I've had it so long now half the time I forget it is there.

As for brushing you can get the little tee pee thingeys (like miniature cleaning brush) for cleaning around it properly if you want to.

Oh thanks HE, I do use one of the little brushes on my teeth anyway so they should still work right? I can't wait, this removable one is a pain and they say i'd have to use it indefinitely....yuck!

Yep. That'll work?

The removable ones are a nightmare. I had one for 6 months and learning to talk was a challenge! Once you master it though it's not a problem. It will take a couple of weeks though!

Yeah ive had it two weeks already but its a bit ming if i have tot ake it out to eat and stuff and cant brush it before putting it on again. Also I look like a 15yr old, the braces were humiliation enough! ?

? It's bringing back the memories....I used to wash mine under the tap during the day and it had a little case so if I wasn't in the mood it ended up in there!

I've just had the grossest recollection of stringey saliva?

I don't envy you though. It was bad enough as a teenager having the thing.

Sadly I've got both - a fixed retainer and a removable one - I'm one of a small percentage whose teeth won't stabilise ?

I had braces as a teenager and wore my retainers 24 hours a day for 6 months, every night for 12 months and then 3 times a week for 2 years, within a few months of not wearing them my teeth had moved...

By then I was 22, I had 'train tracks' back on the top and a removable brace on the bottom (as not so noticeable) and after 6 months went to a fixed retainer on the top and removable retainer for both.

I'm now 27 and still wear the removable retainers every few nights - I went 2 weeks without last month as a 'test' and they moved, despite the fixed retainer ☹️

So, don't rely solely on a fixed retainer - and always, always have a removable one as back-up - apparently the fixed are pone to snapping although mine is now 5 years old and no problems.

My dentist hates them - says they cause decay and encourage gum disease but it seems I have no choice.

Ive currently got both as well, had my braces off in May and have to wear the removal one every night for 6 months then every other night for another 6.

I have fixed retainer bars behind both my top and bottom front teeth and they are a pain, I can constantly feel them and occasionally my tongue gets irritated by them which hurts.

keeping the fixed ones clean isnt a problem but I hate dealing with the removable ones, my orthodontist suggested using steradent to clean them...

What a 'mare Lili Donkey - my orthodontist told me teeth weren't meant to move after you turned 25 because by then all the growing etc. was done and they usually set like that. I would have kept wearing my removable retainer for longer if it hadn't have snapped in half and then I threw it away but my teeth have been fine since then and I've only ever had the fixed on the bottom set of teeth and not had any problems. My old dentist didn't like my fixed retainer but my new one doesn't seem so bothered so perhaps it is personal preference. I'm going on 12 years with it and so far I still have all my teeth?

I love shoes - I didn't know you could get them on the top set of teeth - isn't that weird when you bite down?

Its literally about 2 cm long, glued onto my front 4 teeth, doesnt feel that odd when I bite though, its more rubbing against my tongue thats odd

My retainers are removable but in response to the comments about teeth moving my ortho told me that you should expect to wear retainers for life as teeth will move throughout your lifetime. My two friends that have had braces recently were told the same thing and I was under the impression that this was the norm these days. Basically if you want your teeth to stay straight you have to stick with the retainers!

I currently wear mine every night and can go to every other night from December if I want although I probably won't as I like the security and I'm used to them now.

Yes you do need to wear retainers for life following ortho treatment. Teeth will move throughout life & can drift back into their natural position if there is no retention. Definately use the TePe interdental brushes if you can get them for going in between your teeth where you have fixed retainers especially.

If you have had teeth removed though they wouldn't go back to the 'old' position but settle into a new one right?

That depends, teeth will move into a space if it is there. They wil move if until they can bite on an opposing tooth, so they can still move after treatment. I had ortho as a teenager & had a tooth removed, my teeth are now crooked again because I didnt have retention aterwards. I am now having invisible braces fitted.

Ok. You got me worrying there! But my teeth haven't moved in the last 12 years so I needn't worry I suppose. I was religious with my retainers too.

I had invisible braces. Have you seen the invisiline thingeys (like a mouth guard and see through) which they fit every few months as your teeth move. They look excellent.

Oh wow, thanks for all the responses!

I think with the fixed I will also get one of those clear retainers that only go round the teeth and not the roof of your mouth if that makes sense?

I had braces when I was younger and the teeth remained straight until about 3 yrs ago when this gap started to appear, so it was all purely cosmetic! I will see how I go with the fixed for a while. A friend of mine had one put on a few years ago and she got these really odd symptoms, was ill on and off for about a year. turned out she was allergic to the nickel in the fixed wire!! apparently now they mostly use only white gold though. weird or what!

That's an Essix retainer. If you get one of those make sure that your ortho trims the edge of the plastic if you feel it's digging into your gums at all as it can rub really badly otherwise.