Recently Answered Questions
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Can removing retainer for one week after 9.5 years of braces removal cause teeth shifting?
Query: Hello doctor, I lost my retainer and need to get a new one. This will be a week without a retainer. I got my braces removed nine and a half years ago and have worn the retainer every night. I would have missed it once in a blue moon. What are the chances of my teeth shifting even if it is a little? ... Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Thank you for your query. Retainers are considered an important part of orthodontic therapy as they hold or retain the teeth in the corrected positions after the treatment. In the meantime, the jaw bone and surrounding tissues get mature enough to hold the teeth the... Read Full »
Query: Hello doctor, My teeth shifted after braces, and I accidentally lost my retainer at work and could not afford a new one then. My last orthodontic treatment left gaps, crooked teeth, and crossbites. How severe is my case, and how long treatment will I need again? I am attaching pictures of my teeth. ... Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Retainers are an important part of orthodontic treatment as they hold the teeth in the corrected position until the bone beneath gets matured enough and does not allow them to return to previous positions. This process takes about 10 to 11 months, so it is advised to... Read Full »
Query: Hello doctor, I am 53 years old. I had my permanent retainers removed six months ago, after 26 years. My lower front teeth are flaring out. They are hitting the back of my upper front teeth. I am a tongue thruster. Can I have these teeth that had the retainer removed, rebraced, and another permanent... Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I read your query and can understand your concern. Yes, you can get the particular segment of teeth re-braced and later a permanent retainer. However, you can also have other options to consider before deciding on the treatment option. Before that, we should initia... Read Full »
Can the open bite as a result of orthodontic relapse be fixed?
Query: Hi doctor,I have misaligned teeth due to not wearing a retainer after I had worn braces 16 years ago. I am now 31 years old. I was firmly rejected for braces recently by the orthodontist because of some root canals treatments and extractions (last upper molar missing would be a huge risk) that are d... Read Full »
Answer: Hi,Welcome to icliniq.com.I understand your concern. Indeed the condition of your dentition is not good (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity). There are missing molars, and the overbite has increased because of missing molars allowing front teeth to erupt more and causing deep bite.... Read Full »
Query: Hello doctor,I had worn braces for over three years and was given a retainer after that. I have not worn the retainer for a while, and two of my bottom front teeth have moved. Will they move back to the place if I wear the retainer again?Kindly advise. Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern. Retainers are one of the most important phases of orthodontic treatment. They help hold on to the changes done during the treatment and do not allow the teeth to go back into their previous positions. It takes about a year for the tissues ... Read Full »
Query: Hi doctor, I just left for a two-and-a-half-week vacation and realized I forgot my retainer at my home. Will my teeth shift drastically in that time, and is it fine to wear my retainer when I get back? I have had my braces off for almost five years and usually wear my retainer every night. Kindly he... Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern. After that, we generally taper down the retainer, and the patient can stop using it after one and a half years to one year and nine months. However, this does not apply to all cases. For example, certain cases require longer retainers; some m... Read Full »
Will my teeth shift badly if I remove my braces two days before completion of the treatment?
Query: Hello doctor,My top wires were bothering me; they were poking me, so I removed the wires with pliers. I get my braces off next week. Between that time, will my teeth shift? If so, how bad? Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Hope you are doing well. Sorry to hear about wire poking you. As you will be off your braces in two days and have removed the wire, it should not change much. There are high chances it will remain the same. What you have to take care of now is the retention part. Retai... Read Full »
Query: Hello doctor,I got orthodontic expanders a while ago, but they put pressure on the top of my mouth every time I turned them. So when I went to my orthodontist, they told me not to turn them anymore. Will that affect the treatment? Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. The expanders are given to expand the palate and create sufficient space for teeth eruption and crossbite correction. When we expand using the expanders, we exert pressure on the palatal sutures to separate them and gain the width. However, this separation is gradually... Read Full »
Will my orthodontic treatment relapse if I do not wear retainers?
Query: Hi, I have had braces, and I was stupid to get them even though my teeth were perfect before. Now I want them to relapse, but it feels like they stay in the same position even though I am not wearing a retainer. Is this possible to have no relapse? Read Full »
Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I read your query and understand your concern. Retainers are given to hold the teeth into their position after orthodontic treatment. If retainers are not worn, teeth might shift to other positions as it takes about one year for the bone to fully mature (retainers dura... Read Full »
Does having a retainer only on few teeth affect other teeth badly?
Query: Hello doctor, My essix retainer only covers my front upper six teeth. It has been about eight years since I have taken off my braces. Does having a retainer only on those teeth affect other teeth badly? Read Full »
Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern, The retainer will not badly affect other teeth. As you have mentioned, having retainers for eight years already means all your teeth would have settled into their respective correct positions. An Essix retainer(used to maintain a previous... Read Full »