Plastic Retainer

reap-a-rat

Hi all!

I was given 3 retainers when my braces were taken off, a plastic one for top, a plastic one for bottom and the normal metal one with the pallette thing also for top. Because I'm waiting on implants, I have to wear either top one all the time, otherwise I have a gap. Anyway, I like wearing the plastic one, as it looks nice, you know, not metallic and its way more comfortable and doesn't give you a lisp:rolleyes:!

Anyway, here's my problem, with a picture of a similar retainer I found on tinterwebs to use to illustrate my point!

Anyway, see where the blue is? Well there's a bit of, ahem, wear and tear there, holes loike, which was fine, until yesterday when at the end, near the red line a crack appeared. So now what I want to know is is there anything I can do to fix this myself? I don't think i should rip off the plastic coz I don't think there'd be enough support then to keep it in place!

I should add that I don't need to wear the retainer all the time, its purley for aesthetic reasons! Please help, I'm not a patient of my ortho anymore (it was on the hse scheme thing) nd now I'm waiting on an appt from the Dental Hospital in Dublin, I'm just trying to solve the problem for the time being:)!

Thanks for reading!

day dreamer

The photo hasnt come through by the way. The clear plastic retainer or Essix retainers do wear over time, especially if you have to wear full time with a false tooth.

You could wear the other upper retainer with the metal bar, it wont look as good but at least you have it. Alternatively go to a private orthodontist and get a new one made.

You may be waiting quite a while to get an appointment in the Dental Hospital for implants. It is very important the teeth do not move in the meantime or you wont be able to get the implant that is planned.

Retainers are as important as the braces themselves. If it is at all possible I would get the implants done sooner, even if it means going privately.
hope this helps