I made a dumb mistake and left my retainer out on the nightstand and wouldn’t you know, my dog found it and chewed it to bits! I only wear it at night, but I don’t have the money to replace it right now. I have some teeth whitening trays that fit great, so I’m wondering if I can use them for now, to keep my teeth from shifting. If so, how long can I get away with it? With the holidays coming up, money is tight and it will be a couple of months after that before I can start saving again. Can I get by with them until at least February? — Freddy
Freddy,
You should not substitute your teeth whitening trays for your retainer. Even if they’re still a good fit for your teeth, they’re not made of the same type of material. The teeth whitening trays are intentionally made soft and flexible, so they’re gentle on you and comfortable to wear. Retainers are made of hard plastic and/or metal, so they’re ridged and hold their shape. Because of this, they also keep your teeth in place.
It’s unclear when you finished orthodontic treatment based on your letter, but that will play a role in how long you have before your teeth start shifting. The longer it has been, the more firmly in place they’ll be, and the less likely they are to start shifting right away. However, teeth almost always start shifting and there’s no real way to predict if/when they’ll start doing it. It’s also worth noting that the shape of your face will never stop changing and, therefore, your teeth will always be on the move unless you hold them in place. The biggest difference is when the jawbone is still growing, which usually ends around age 18, but can extend into the early 20’s occasionally. These factors are why some people notice shifts immediately after stopping their retainer and other people can go months before they notice anything different.
Going without the retainer for any period of time before you’ve been given clearance from your orthodontist is a gamble. Given the timeline, you may not see too much of a difference between now and February, but if it’s important to you to not have any movement at all, you’ll need to go in and have a new retainer made right away. Best of luck to you.
This blog post is brought to you by Des Moines cosmetic dentist, Dr. Phelan Thomas. For more information on the services he provides, please visit his Des Moines cosmetic dentist website.