How many people actually wear their retainers into adulthood?

[Milk]

I'm 25 and, like a good boy, I have worn my retainers for a decade now ever since the braces came off (while sleeping, after getting the go ahead to stop using them full time). Just today I spent nearly $200 to get a new top one since it was starting to break.

It makes me wonder if I practically threw money away, since it definitely feels like most people don't wear them past their teens yet their teeth still look good and barely shift.

I mean hell, my parents spent thousands to give me good teeth, figure I should take care to keep them that way, yeah?

Who else is out here keeping up with their retainers?

 

[JEH]

I stopped wearing mine for a couple years in college and got a gap in my front teeth because of it. Luckily it doesn't look horrible but I went back to wearing it after that.

 

[Anthanes]

Hell no it's not a waste. I'm about to get my braces off in 6 weeks and I can't imagine just not wearing my retainers after 1.5 years of food being stuck in my braces and those damn rubber bands.

 

[TaySan]

I never had braces as a kid, but I wish I did. :(

 

[EternalWinter]

I have a permanent retainer behind my front bottom teeth. Does that count? I've had the option to remove it for a very long time at this point and I've just left it there because why not.

 

[ned_ballad]

my dentist told me I probably should wear it at night, despite not wearing it for like over 15 years

But I don't really know where it is. Also it's sparkly blue and has a Squidward sticker embedded into the plastic because I got it when I was 15

 

[Meg Cherry]

I don't, but my girlfriend does. Always thought it was wild, until I learned you are actually supposed to wear them permanently. (Bizarrely, she did this while ALSO refusing to see a dentist for several years pre-COVID.)

My teeth have been fine.

 

[TooBusyLookinGud]

I wear mine. My wife has a permanent one that she hates.

I stopped wearing mine for a couple years in college and got a gap in my front teeth because of it. Luckily it doesn't look horrible but I went back to wearing it after that.

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This is the reason I wear mine. I'm not trying to cop that Michael Strahan joint. He can sport it because he's a multimillionaire and make it fashionable for him.

 

[Poltergust]

I wore a permanent retainer along my bottom teeth for well over a decade until about 3-4 years ago. My teeth haven't regressed or anything so I'm glad I don't have to have a piece of metal in my mouth anymore.

They say it's "permanent" but I don't think you actually need to wear it for the rest of your life.

 

[Dyle]

At night but my teeth are clearly shifting and slowly undoing all the top half orthodonture anyway. Bottom retainer is doing a better job but still not completely holding back the passage of time.

 

[Milk]

I have a permanent retainer behind my front bottom teeth. Does that count? I've had the option to remove it for a very long time at this point and I've just left it there because why not.

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Ah, forgot that permanents were a thing. Added a poll option.

 

[Ravelle]

I don't have retainers anymore but have one metal line on the inside of my bottom row teeth still, also had one on the top but one day the metal snapped when eating something and it created a razorblade in my mouth and had it removed asap.

It's probably not serving a purpose anymore at this point though.

Hell no it's not a waste. I'm about to get my braces off in 6 weeks and I can't imagine just not wearing my retainers after 1.5 years of food being stuck in my braces and those damn rubber bands.

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My god, are they still doing the metal braces + connect them with rubber bands in these days? I hoped the braces development would have improved that by now. I hate the rubber bands the most, trying to hook them and them slipping out of your fingers or from the braces hooks was the worst.

 

[makingmusic476]

I didn't and I somewhat regret it.

Though I doubt anyone would even notice that my teeth aren't quite as straight as they were back when I got the braces off, and it's been 16 years.

 

[TheWooniestWoona]

I've been wearing mine for almost 20 years now. Sleeping without it feels weird.

 

[makingmusic476]

I have a permanent retainer behind my front bottom teeth. Does that count? I've had the option to remove it for a very long time at this point and I've just left it there because why not.

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These aren't so permanent.

I got them on the top and bottom, and I was never given any guidance on when to get them off. And my orthodontist retired almost immediately after they were put on. The metal eventually starts to pop out of the glue and I had to yank some bits out.

Now I've just got leftover bits of metal and that obnoxious glue stuck on the back of my teeth, with none of it connected in a way to keep my teeth straight relative to each other.

 

[Meliah]

I have a permanent retainer for my bottom teeth and a regular retainer for my top. Always been wearing my top retainers at night and will never stop since my teeth will definitely shift.

My bottom one broke off one of my tooth and unfortunately that tooth shifted a bit. Others wouldn't notice but I definitely noticed it (Since you know.. It's MY teeth). Regret not noticing it sooner since it was a butt load of money for braces :/

 

[brokenmachine]

I try to wear it at least every other day at night, but I usually only wear it once a week.

I haven't noticed any changes at all.

 

[El_TigroX]

Heads up - never stop wearing them.

I had braces as a kid, had a retainer into adult hood, then had my wisdom teeth removed. That caused all sorts of shifting, and I stopped wearing retainers because they didn't fit.

Years later, finally did Invisalign to get things back to where they should have been... now back in retainers and I will never stop wearing them now.

 

[SigmasonicX]

I still wear mine when I sleep, yeah. Even so, I notice my teeth drifting a bit; I imagine it'd be much worse without them.

 

[EternalWinter]

These aren't so permanent.

I got them on the top and bottom, and I was never given any guidance on when to get them off. And my orthodontist retired almost immediately after they were put on. The metal eventually starts to pop out of the glue and I had to yank some bits out.

Now I've just got leftover bits of metal and that obnoxious glue stuck on the back of my teeth, with none of it connected in a way to keep my teeth straight relative to each other.

Click to shrink...

Well damn, that sounds terrible.

My permanent got put in after my braces came off when I was about 14. I'm over 40 now and never had an issue (knock on wood). This sucker is rock solid.

 

[PeskyToaster]

I haven't worn it in years. I have noticed a small gap in my front teeth (re?)forming. Seems a lot for such a minor thing at the moment.

 

[The Albatross]

My perm retainer came out eating an apple when I was like ~18, never got it put back in.

I stopped wearing my upper retainer at some point as a teenager.

My teeth have kinda sorta gotten slightly fucked up throughout the years. Not as straight as they were 20+ years ago, but at this point I Don't care. I'm married and with child, have a job, it's everybody else's problem looking at my jank not mine.

 

[peppermints]

I have a permanent one on my bottom teeth but top I had one to wear at night. I was told I only needed to wear it for a year or so I think.

Have a slight gap on my front teeth because I've stopped wearing it. 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Anthanes]

My god, are they still doing the metal braces + connect them with rubber bands in these days? I hoped the braces development would have improved that by now. I hate the rubber bands the most, trying to hook them and them slipping out of your fingers or from the braces hooks was the worst.

Click to shrink...

Yep they still do. For my last month, I have 5 rubber bands in my mouth atm. Taking them out before you eat and putting them back on afterwards is actually the reason as to why I barely eat now ;-;

 

[Aske]

I'm 25 and, like a good boy, I have worn my retainers for a decade now ever since the braces came off (while sleeping, after getting the go ahead to stop using them full time). Just today I spent nearly $200 to get a new top one since it was starting to break.

It makes me wonder if I practically threw money away, since it definitely feels like most people don't wear them past their teens yet their teeth still look good and barely shift.

I mean hell, my parents spent thousands to give me good teeth, figure I should take care to keep them that way, yeah?

Who else is out here keeping up with their retainers?

Click to shrink...

I had braces in my 20s, and I still wear my retainers at night. Invisalign, top and bottom. I've been through several over the years. If I don't wear them, my teeth move.

Experiment if you like - don't wear them for a week or two, then see if they still fit like they should. I know some people stop wearing them and don't worry about it, but I've already had some movement since getting my braces off (for some reason I had to have new impressions taken every time I got new retainers, they didn't just use the old ones. But I've been through enough of them that they're not quite as perfect as they were) and no way am I going back to funky teeth or having round two of adult braces.

 

[Ravelle]

Yep they still do. For my last month, I have 5 rubber bands in my mouth atm. Taking them out before you eat and putting them back on afterwards is actually the reason as to why I barely eat now ;-;

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Stay strong man, I'd say plastic retainer you click in to your palate for the night is worse, it always smelled bad even you cleaned it often and when you forgot it a night or two it barely in to your mouth.

 

[GringoJB]

I didn't have braces as a kid, so I got my teeth straightened via Invisalign in my late 30's. So yeah, I have a permanent little retainer wire across the backside of my bottom front teeth, and I wear my retainer every night to keep things from slipping back into chaos. I do it every night religiously because I really like my straight teeth and there's no way I'm going back!

 

[makingmusic476]

Well damn, that sounds terrible.

My permanent got put in after my braces came off when I was about 14. I'm over 40 now and never had an issue (knock on wood). This sucker is rock solid.

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Honestly, I don't even notice it unless I think about it.

One time my wife noticed them and asked me what the hell was in my mouth, and I was like "I never told you?? Well, I guess I don't think about it."

 

[vainya]

I never got a real retainer. What the orthodontist gave me was a huge chewy plastic mold of my mouth that I had to shove in there and chew for like 5 hours out of the day. I ended up biting too hard and ripping the top part of it in half. I found the retainer when I moved out of the house and tried chewing on it, then threw it in the trash.

My teeth started spreading right after they took the braces off anyway and the gap in my front teeth settled at about half the width it once was.

I had no idea permanent retainers exist. I guess that explains why my middle school principal had one on.

 

[MJPIA]

Been using mine every night for at least 14 years now.
Even after all this time if I skip a day or two of wearing them to bed and put them in I can tell things have started to shift by the tension against my teeth so hey my parents spent a fair amount of money on braces and they prevent me from grinding my teeth so it's worth still wearing them.
I'm kinda impressed those two molded pieces of plastic have actually lasted this long.

 

[EternalWinter]

Honestly, I don't even notice it unless I think about it.

One time my wife noticed them and asked me what the hell was in my mouth, and I was like "I never told you?? Well, I guess I don't think about it."

Click to shrink...

That's not too bad then. That's the whole reason I haven't taken my out. I just don't care or even remember that it's there. I got a new Dentist a few years ago and he mentioned that he could take it out for me if I wanted. I declined. Maybe part of me is afraid my bottom teeth will go back to the way they were which was a disaster.

 

[SilverArrow20XX]

Fuck no.
I wore it for maybe a year after getting my braces off and stopped.
My teeth shifted a tiny bit, but they're straight and aligned half a lifetime later.

 

[Aske]

Stay strong man, I'd say plastic retainer you click in to your palate for the night is worse, it always smelled bad even you cleaned it often and when you forgot it a night or two it barely in to your mouth.

Click to shrink...

Ultrasonic cleaner, $30. I add some washing up liquid to the water.

Edit - just realised you're talking about a palette expander! I was so relieved I didn't have to use one of those. Oof. Way to come out the other side of that!

 

[trashbandit]

I pop mine in for a few weeks at a time every couple of months, just to make sure they still fit/my teeth don't shift too much.

 

[balohna]

I never had braces. My bottom teeth are slightly crooked, but meh.

Poll numbers... are braces really that common!? Or is it just that very few non-braced people are clicking the thread?

Why did I click on it? Well, learning retainers aren't just a "for a few years" thing is new information for me.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

I have a permanent retainer for my bottom teeth and a regular retainer for my top. Always been wearing my top retainers at night and will never stop since my teeth will definitely shift.

My bottom one broke off one of my tooth and unfortunately that tooth shifted a bit. Others wouldn't notice but I definitely noticed it (Since you know.. It's MY teeth). Regret not noticing it sooner since it was a butt load of money for braces :/

Click to shrink...

All of this is me lol

 

[StarStorm]

My sister still wears her retainer at night. Its supposed to be permanent in case your teeth shifts.

I never got braces, but definitely thought about it.

 

[Ravelle]

Ultrasonic cleaner, $30. I add some washing up liquid to the water.

Edit - just realised you're talking about a palette expander! I was so relieved I didn't have to use one of those. Oof. Way to come out the other side of that!

Click to shrink...

I had something like this, you just clicked it in to place, not the tortuture device you just mentioned, jikes!

 

[Deleted member 23094]

I had to wear a pre-braces retainer for the month or so before going in to get actual braces, and I couldn't even stick with that so ended up never getting braces. Turns out my bite could never actually be fixed by braces alone and would need jaw surgery, also something I'm not willing to do when my teeth are fine for the most part.

 

[OneTrickJeffrey]

I don't. I feel like my mom and my ortho kinda forgot to tell me the whole "Oh, you also have to wear this thing at night every night for the rest of your life" part of the process.

Even if I did wear it, I also use a mouth guard for my grinding now, and I don't know how I would get the two to cooperate.

 

[Indurian]

I do not wear / cannot wear my top retainer. I have a permanent bottom retainer though.

 

[Teiresias]

I stopped wearing my retainer within a few years of getting my braces off back in middle school. Now in my 40s I'm considering getting invisalign on my bottom teeth to correct some crowding - top teeth remain fine. Once I get that corrected I'd likely try to wear a retainer more, but you know, it would probably only become a problem again in my 80s, lol.

 

[PennyStonks]

I've worn thru two sets of clear retainers in 10 years. i'm about to start the 3rd. They cost about $200 without insurance, so, I've left them wear out enough that my teeth have moved slightly, but you only need to wear them at night once you work up to it. You might need to wear them most of the day and night and slowly transition to only at night to avoid pain.

 

[Milk]

I had something like this, you just clicked it in to place, not the tortuture device you just mentioned, jikes!

Click to shrink...

This was the retainer I was given way back when. But replacing it was going to be a lot more money than if I went with the new-age clear retainer so I just took the clear one.

Lemme tell ya, modern kids have it rough. These metal kinds were way simpler and way comfier. Pops right in and out, barely felt it. This clear plastic one that goes on top of the entire row of teeth feels like I'm putting my teeth in prison. It is suuuch a weird feeling. Granted, I'm bound to get used to it just like I did the metal one, but man is it different.

 

[King Fossil]

This was the retainer I was given way back when. But replacing it was going to be a lot more money than if I went with the new-age clear retainer so I just took the clear one.

Lemme tell ya, modern kids have it rough. These metal kinds were way simpler and way comfier. Pops right in and out, barely felt it. This clear plastic one that goes on top of the entire row of teeth feels like I'm putting my teeth in prison. It is suuuch a weird feeling. Granted, I'm bound to get used to it just like I did the metal one, but man is it different.

Click to shrink...

I got the clear plastic ones as a replacement and I hate it. I'm scared it won't come off when I want it to.

 

[Benzychenz]

I wore mine for like a year. Over 10 years on now and I don't think my teeth have moved even slightly.

I do have a permanent retainer at the back of my front bottom teeth though.

Edit:

I had something like this, you just clicked it in to place, not the tortuture device you just mentioned, jikes!

Click to shrink...

Wtf?? This thing looks like a torture device.
I just had a clear plastic mold that went over my teeth.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

I probably wore it for a year or so, along with rubber bands. Hated it. My overbite definitely came back but 30ish years later it's fine for me.

 

[Hilarious_Bearious]

My braces only came off two years ago, so yes I still wear a retainer (sometimes...). I got braces in my 30s, missed out in my teens because my parents were... Let's not go there.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

early 30s and I wear them every other day. If I don't for say three days straight it's tight as fuck. My teeth are itching to move back. Fuck that.

Got them in my 20s because we were poor growing up. So I know the value of a dollar and I'm not wasting that money. .

 

[FinalArcadia]

I am 28 and still wear my retainer to bed every night. Both top retainer and bottom retainer.

Never got my wisdom teeth out (I was too afraid, also they don't bother me), so I feel like I need to wear it just to make sure my teeth don't move. Plus, it's at the point where if I forget to wear it, I can't sleep. My mouth just doesn't feel right at night without my retainer.