Can I use an old retainer from middle school / how does Marily bridge affect making a new one

I have a “zero bite” which means my front teeth just almost cover/occlude my bottom front teeth. Braces and retainer lessened this to where my front teeth hit at about the halfway mark of my bottom teeth which is how they’re supposed to.  But I haven’t worn it for years because my orthodontist had told me it was optional if I had to wear it or not, he didn’t make me understand it would keep on reversing back if I didn’t. Sigh so I'm 26 now and my bite is back to what it was. I got a Marilyn bridge put on my two bottom front teeth so my old bottom retainer definitely cannot fit. Is it possible to make a retainer molder for teeth with a Marilyn bridge? Would it hurt the bridge? Because I don't see hwo the cite could be fixed with only a retainer for the top teeth, correct? Anyway, my major question is, is it possible for them to make my old top retainer fit my mouth again so I don’t have to buy a new one? In the sad event I have to purchase a new one, is it common for them to include replacement retainers in the price, in case it breaks for whatever reason? I live in North Carolina if that helps. Also how often would it need to be tuned and for how long, would you estimate, in order to fix the bite issue? On average how much is each retainer tuning appointment? Do you think it is possible to learn how to adjust the retainer wire myself, to save on this adjustment cost?

Do you want to answer this question? Login or register now to answer this question.

No profile picture

Answer: Retainer from middle school

By Sarah h
Dental Professional

Unfortunately, I do not think your old retainer can be made to fit after so many years unless it is very close now.  If you are able to get the retainer in your mouth and its very close to fitting, a minor adjustment may be made.  It is highly unlikely however that it will be adjustable.  Many times when appliance therapy is performed with retainers, you are still in your growth stage.  Now that your jaw and bite are fully developed orthodontics may be necessary to accomplish the desired outcome.  Most orthodontist's offer a free consultation appointment if you have current dental radiographs.  Having a bridge will not effect your treatment if an appliance or clear aligner therapy is used instead of traditional brackets.  The amount of correction necessary and the treatment recommended will determine the average treatment time you can expect.  I do not think having you make your own adjustments is ideal nor do I think it is worth the small amount of savings if any that will be given.  

More Questions from Dental Braces

Extraction During Braces for Scissor Bite Molar

Hello, i have a simple question regarding braces, over crowding etc. im a 15 year old girl with braces that have been on for 2 years, i have a scissor bite due to a severe crowding case and i have big teeth, i also have an overbite but its not too...

Michelle rabbit braces

Do I need to wear my retainer for life?

I have had my braces off for 10 years and have been pretty responsible about wearing my retainer. I am tired of it and want to put this part of life behind me. My teeth seem to be staying put. Can I simply stop using it and check to see if the...

I stained my saphire braces..please help

Hi. I got saphire braces 2 weeks ago without any elastic ligatures. Because I am a smoker, the brackets became a visible yellow which doesn't come out when I brush my teeth. Please help, I chose the saphire because I knew it wouldn't get stained but...

retainer doesn't fit

Retainer doesn't fit one tooth

I have a permanent and an overnight retainer that I wear religiously. However my teeth still shift. From 0 {content removed} 21 I have had severe lung issues that made me swallow and use my mouth weirdly just so I could breathe. I can not unlearn...

Orthodontic Abroad

Greetings, I hope you are doing well, I am Yosra Gholami, a Ph.D. student at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine. Likewise, I got dental braces in Iran on April 17, 2023, and the wires have been changed three times so far. My question...

My right side molars on top and bottom are lower than the left side. Is this fixable?

My right side molars on both top and bottom are lower than the left side which or placed correctly. I’ve been in braces for over two years now and have not seen any correction in this, despite it being my main concern. My right side profile looks...

Implant bleeding during orthodontic treatment

Hello, I am an adult who had braces as a teen and an implant placed prior to that. The implant is the maxillary right lateral incisor on the top. Now at 40yo I have braces again on my bottom teeth as they have lost their alignment. The braces on...

What should I do about a single miss aligned tooth

Okay so, to explain this I have over crowding in my bottom front set of teeth. Whats happened is you know you have the front 4 teeth, one of the middle teeth to be exact the right middle one has been pushed back into my mouth behind the other 3....

Gap from retainer

Hi, I have a questions so I got my braces off last month. I have a tooth with crown over it on the left side well I noticed it’s started to ache and food gets stuck between it a lot. I had a cleaning after my braces were removed and my dentist...

Will my teeth change tremendously?

I lost my retainers two days ago and I’m getting a new set tomorrow morning. The reason why I’m getting a new set is because my 3 months are up for my first set of retainers so I have to get fitted for a new set.