Jared R. Gianquinto, DMD, MS - Account Suspended

Unfortunately, retainers break from time to time. A replacement retainer may seem expensive, but wearing a broken retainer may be just as detrimental as not wearing one at all, or even more so in certain cases. And in all cases, replacing a retainer is definitely less expensive than undergoing orthodontic treatment again once teeth have shifted. You've invested a lot of time and money in your smile, and retainers are cheap insurance! 

There are many different retainer designs out there, and some work better than others in certain scenarios. You might want to discuss having your replacement made from either a different design or different material to lessen the likelihood of breakage in the future. 

Regardless, the sooner you see your orthodontist for a replacement, the simpler and less expensive the solution will be. 

Hope this helps! 

Dr. G

Great question! If your can't get your retainer to seat correctly, it is unlikely that you will benefit from continued wear. Forcing it into place will most likely break it. However, your orthodontist may be able to make a slight adjustment to it to not only make it fit, but able to get your teeth back in place. The sooner you get back in to see your orthodontist, the easier it is to get things back on track, and the more options you'll have. 

Teeth shift throughout life like everything else does. Wearing retainers nightly is the only way to maintain the results of your orthodontic treatment. 

Hope this helps!

Dr. G

You may wish to have your orthodontist clarify what he or she hopes to achieve by the two treatment options, as the two treatment plans seem to address different findings. Here are some concerns you will want to discuss with your orthodontist:

Expansion is helpful where there is a discrepancy between the width of the upper and lower jaws, but is of limited use in creating  additional space alleviate severe crowding, especially in cases of short upper and lower jaws (expansion makes the jaws wider, not longer). 

Extraction of primary teeth and placement of space maintainers makes sense if the permanent teeth are erupting out of place and not allowing may become impacted. Usually the primary teeth themselves are the best space maintainers. 

With modern orthodontic appliances, it is often possible to align all of the teeth in the arches without extraction, but if the upper and lower jaws are not long enough, alignment of the upper and lower teeth without extractions can result in unstable, protruding teeth prone to gingival recession. 

Difficulty in closing the lips is usually caused by protruding upper and lower teeth. In many cases, correction of bi-maxillary protrusion requires premolar extraction and space closure through retraction of the anterior teeth. Expansion is of limited use to correct this. 

Your orthodontist should be able to address your concerns, clearly explain treatment goals and the reasoning behind his or her recommendations. 

Hope this helps!

Dr. G

Wearing retainers after orthodontic treatment is the only way to maintain your treatment results. Retainer wear regimens differ between practitioners, but in our office, retainers are delivered within a day of treatment completion, and 24-hr wear (except at mealtimes) for the first 4 weeks, followed by nighttime wear as long as the patient wants to maintain their smile. 

Your retainers should keep your teeth from shifting, and be able to correct very minor discrepancies if a day or two of retainer wear is missed here and there. This soon after removal, any shifting can usually be corrected by properly wearing your retainers as much as possible, and getting in to see your orthodontist for a retainer check. If your retainer is broken or does not fit, see your orthodontist as soon as possible. Correction of minor shifting can sometimes be as simple as adjusting your retainer. The sooner you see your orthodontist, the more options you'll have to get your smile back where it should be. 
Hope this helps!

Dr. G

If your teeth were decently aligned with a slight overbite (technically we orthodontists call it overjet) prior to making space for your impacted canine, an increase in overjet would be expected once it is brought into the arch. Impacted teeth usually present with midline discrepancies and other issues in achieving bite correction. It is highly unlikely that an ideal result can be achieved without lower braces as well. Be sure to discuss your concerns with your orthodontist. Good communication and clear expectations of treatment goals ensure the best results. 

Hope this helps!

Dr. G