Why do my retainers feel tight

Your removable retainer will often feel tight if it is new or it has just been adjusted. This is quite normal and after a few days of wear the retainer will not feel as tight. If you have left the removable retainer out for some time, the teeth may have moved making the retainer tight when it is worn. Follow the advice below if you think the teeth have moved.

If the retainer is neither new nor recently adjusted, it may have become tight due to one of two reasons. Either it has distorted in which case you should contact the practice for advice, or your teeth are trying to move to their pre-treatment position. If you think the teeth are starting to move, you should wear the retainer for longer, perhaps 22 hours in a 24 hour day. Contact the practice for advice.

Do not remove the retainer in the hope that it will be easier for you. The relief will only be temporary as you will have to start wearing the retainer again and the tightness may be worse because teeth may have moved.

If you feel your retainer is too tight to wear, contact the practice for an earlier appointment.

Wearing your retainer is a crucial part of maintaining your new smile after your braces treatment is completed. However, your teeth can shift over time, especially if you neglect wearing your retainer. If you stop wearing your retainer and want to start again or it begins to feel tight, you can still wear it – in certain instances. Continue reading for some advice on retainer use from Dr. James Donaghey at Donaghey Orthodontics.

As long as your retainer doesn’t hurt and still fits over your teeth, you can wear it even if it feels tight. This probably means that your teeth have shifted. In this case, you should wear your retainer longer each day to prevent your teeth from moving further. You can start by wearing your retainer all day for a few days to encourage your teeth to move back into the correct positions.

However, if your retainer doesn’t fit at all or feels painful you need to take different measures. Don’t force your teeth into your retainer! You need to contact your orthodontist to see what actions are needed. They may need to make you a new retainer, or potentially take other measures.

Retainers are an important part of maintaining your beautiful, healthy smile. If your retainer stops fitting, breaks, or you have any other retainer related questions don’t hesitate to contact our office.

If your retainers are feeling overly snug, or worse, too tight to wear, you’ve probably not been wearing them enough. Keep reading to find out why your retainers feel tight and what to do about it.

Why do teeth move after braces?

During orthodontic treatment, we can move your teeth to exactly where we want them. Unfortunately, they don’t always want to stay there.

When we straighten teeth the ligaments that connect your teeth to your jaw bone are stretched. Once your brace is removed, these ligaments have a habit of pulling your teeth back to their natural position. This is known as orthodontic relapse.

Preventing orthodontic relapse

Luckily, we can stop orthodontic relapse from happening with the help of retainers. These can be fixed or removable, and they’re designed to hold your teeth in their new position.

You need to wear retainers indefinitely to keep your teeth straight. Those ligaments will always be waiting to undo your hard work, even years down the line.

Fixed retainers consist of a thin wire, which is discreetly attached behind your front teeth. They’re
working 24/7 to prevent orthodontic relapse and you’ll quickly forget they’re there.

Removable retainers resemble clear, thin gumshields (they look a lot like Invisalign aligners). You’ll need to wear them according to your clinician’s instruction – usually at night.

Why do your retainers feel tight?

If you stop wearing your retainers regularly, there’s nothing to prevent those stretched ligaments from pulling your teeth back to their pre-treatment position.

Your removable aligners have been designed to perfectly fit your teeth in their new position, so when you try to squeeze them over teeth that have moved, they’re likely to feel a tad tight. If you leave it long enough they may not fit at all!

We can’t predict how quickly or far your teeth will move without retainers, but from our experience it’s not a risk worth taking. Months or years of orthodontic treatment can be undone in a short space of time.

What should you do about it

If your retainers feel tight, but not painful, keep wearing them full time over the next few days until they start to feel okay. Hopefully, they will gently nudge your teeth back in line.

If your retainers are painful, or you can’t get them to fit over your teeth, don’t force them.
Contact the orthodontist or dentist who provided your treatment. You’ll most likely have two options:

1. If you’re happy with your teeth in their new position, you can have new retainers made.
2. If you’re not happy with the position of your teeth, you can choose to wear braces again.

We can’t provide retainers if you didn’t have your orthodontic treatment at Sensu. However, if you’ve decided to have braces again, we’d be delighted to explore your options with you. We offer several braces that have been specially created to straighten relapse cases quickly and discreetly.

Invisalign Express (formally Invisalign i7) is a popular brace that realigns teeth using clear, removable aligners – sometimes within a matter of weeks. And of course, we’ll provide fixed and/or removable retainers and the follow-up care needed to maintain your new smile.

To arrange a free consultation, contact our friendly team today.

Wearing a removable retainer is an important step in teeth alignment that often follows braces treatment. A retainer will keep your teeth in place and prevent them from shifting back to their original, misaligned position.

Wearing a retainer can take some getting used to, and it’s common to have some uncertainty during your treatment. The good news is that most problems are easily solved with some expert orthodontic advice. Keep reading to see answers to some of the most common tight retainer questions we receive at our orthodontics office.

Should I Wear My Retainer if it’s Tight?

In most cases, it’s normal for a new retainer to feel tight. If your retainer is tight but still fits over your teeth, you can continue to wear it. In fact, retainers are made to be snug to prevent your teeth from moving out of place. In most cases, a tight retainer won’t damage your teeth or gums.

You may experience some discomfort during your first few days of retainer treatment. However, your discomfort will likely go away after a few days. If things don’t improve, or your pain worsens, you should talk to your orthodontist about your concerns. In some cases, you may need to get an adjusted retainer or extend the amount of time you wear it each day.

Should I Wear My Retainer if it Doesn’t Fit?

If your retainer doesn’t fit over your teeth, don’t try to force it into place. Doing so could disrupt your treatment or even damage your teeth and gums.

Likely, your retainer doesn’t fit for one of two reasons—the shape of the retainer may have been warped in some way, or your teeth may have shifted positions. It’s especially common for your teeth to shift if you haven’t worn your retainer in some time. Even skipping treatment for just a few nights can greatly affect how your retainer fits.

If your retainer doesn’t fit in your mouth, we recommend seeing your orthodontist for an examination. We understand that mistakes happen, and we’re here to help you get back on track towards healthy, straight teeth.

What if My Retainer Feels Tight Every Night?

If your retainer feels tight every night to the point of discomfort, talk to your orthodontist. In most cases, this happens when you move to a nightly schedule too quickly. When you see your orthodontist, they’ll likely recommend that you return to wearing your retainer for part of the day until your teeth adjust.

We understand that this can be frustrating when you were looking forward to wearing your retainer for shorter periods of time. Our orthodontists want to help you succeed and are here to help create a wear schedule that works for you.

What Should I Do if My Retainer’s Tight After Not Wearing it?

Sometimes life happens, and you stop wearing your retainer for an extended period of time. If you try on your retainer and it still fits, you can continue wearing it. Just make sure to follow the wear schedule your orthodontist has put in place.

If your retainer is no longer fitting properly, or it feels painful to wear, talk to your orthodontist about your next steps. They may adjust your retainer wear schedule or suggest other alignment options.

Talk to an Orthodontist in Dongan Hills

At Brooklyn Orthodontics, we understand that starting a retainer treatment can take some getting used to. You likely have a lot of questions about your retainer, and what can be done to shorten your treatment as much as possible.

Our friendly and knowledgeable orthodontists are here to answer your questions and help you follow your wear schedule so you can achieve the best possible results. We’re the best orthodontic specialists in Dongan Hills, and we’re here to help you retain your beautiful smile!

Call us today at (718) 333-5898, or reach out on our website to schedule an appointment.