How to Know if Your Retainer Fits Correctly: Quick Guide

If you’re reading this, you already know how important retainers are for maintaining your results after braces. However, it’s not always easy to tell if your retainer fits correctly, especially if you’re new to retainers or it’s been a while since you last visited your orthodontist.

A well-fitting retainer should feel snug but comfortable around your teeth. It’s normal for your retainer to feel tight at first, but if it doesn’t loosen up or become more comfortable over time, you might need to adjust or replace it.

Whether you have an Essix or a Hawley retainer, this article is for you. A poor-fitting retainer doesn’t need to be cracked or damaged to cause shifting in your teeth, so if you’re experiencing discomfort or the fit of the retainer doesn’t look right, it’s time to take action.

How to Know if Your Retainer Fits Correctly

In this section, you will find information on how to determine if your retainer is fitting correctly. We’ll examine both clear retainers and Hawley retainers.

How Should a Clear Retainer Fit

A well-fitting clear retainer, such as an Essix or Invisalign retainer, should fit snugly around your teeth but then loosen up a little bit for comfort. This doesn’t mean the plastic itself stretches – it’s more likely that your teeth will shift back to their positions at the time the mold was taken.

Make sure the clear retainer fits all the way to the edges of your teeth—if you can see empty plastic, this might be an indication that it’s not seated all the way, or it simply doesn’t fit properly and something went wrong at the lab.

Check how your retainer fits around your gums. The edges shouldn’t press on your gums to the extent that they become whitened or even bleed. This can cause gum recession and a whole host of other problems.

How Should a Hawley Retainer Fit

A Hawley retainer is an orthodontic appliance made with acrylic and wire, designed to keep your teeth from shifting after braces while also allowing the bite to settle.

When fitting a Hawley retainer, ensure that the clasps are seated on the molars close to the gum level. The acrylic part should be in intimate contact with the roof of your mouth for top retainers, or the bottom gums for bottom retainers.

The front wire should fit snugly, running through the middle of the teeth—yet not excessively tight, so it leaves metallic marks. The retainer loops should not interfere with the gum or cause discomfort.

When placing your Hawley retainer, you shouldn’t feel it’s loose either, to the point that it comes out. If this happens, contact your orthodontist’s office. Both loose and tight Hawley retainers are easy to fix, but you shouldn’t attempt to do it at home.

Ultimately, both retainer types shouldn’t cause discomfort and should be relatively straightforward to put on and take out. It will take most patients a few good minutes to put their retainers on and take them off the first few times they do it. But, just like with contact lenses and other devices that are tricky to fit, practice makes perfect.

Can You Keep Wearing a Retainer That Doesn’t Fit Perfectly?

Wearing a retainer that doesn’t fit as it should is NOT recommended, even if it’s just for a few weeks. If you have the slightest doubt that your retainers aren’t working as they should, see your orthodontist as soon as you can.

Signs that your retainer doesn’t fit include:

Visual clues: For Essix retainers, you can see gaps between the clear plastic and the teeth’ edges. For Hawley retainers, the front wire can run too high or too low on the teeth, and this can cause issues.
Sensory clues: For Essix retainers, they can be too tight and difficult to remove. For Hawley retainers, they will most likely feel too loose or fall out, as they loosen up over time.
Pain and discomfort: Neither the Essix nor the Hawley retainers should press on the gums or teeth to the point they cause pain. Pain isn’t normal with any type of retainer.

Sometimes, it’s acceptable to wear clear retainers that don’t fit perfectly, under one condition: the reason they don’t fit is because you stopped wearing them regularly. In this scenario, old Essix retainers can act as clear aligners, as long as they still fit all the way in.

You will feel some discomfort and it will be challenging to take them out, but if you wear them 24/7 for a few months, your teeth will eventually go back to their old positions. Check with your orthodontist if it’s okay to use your retainers as aligners, it’s not advisable to do this on your own.

What to Do If Retainers Are Difficult to Remove?

Sometimes, you might find that your Essix retainers are tough to remove, even getting stuck in place. This can happen if the material used for the retainer is too thick or rigid, or if there have been some errors when taking the mold or manufacturing the retainer.

Usually, Essix retainers are 1mm thick. However, if you keep running into problems, consider asking your orthodontist for a thinner retainer – a 0.8 mm thick Essix retainer is another popular option. Keep in mind that thinner retainers can be more fragile and you might need to replace them more frequently.

When you’re trying to remove a difficult retainer, start by accessing it from the back and gently work your way to the front. Alternate the same movements on the roof of your mouth as well. If you can’t use your nails, try using a tissue or rubber gloves to get a better grip on the retainer.

Another great option is to invest in a special retainer removal tool. This can make the removal process easier and ensure the longevity of your retainer. Of course, the best course of action is to consult with your orthodontist to confirm that the fit is good. They may be able to make adjustments, ensuring the removal process is more comfortable for you.

In some rare cases, Essix retainers can be too loose and fall off. This often happens to patients with short teeth that have flat surfaces. If you’re dealing with this issue repeatedly, ask for a different Essix material (and perhaps a different lab altogether). Sometimes, elongating the Essix plastic to cover some of the gums does the trick.

Hawley retainers can be difficult to remove as well if the clasps are tight. Always pull at the molar level, on the clasps, and never on the labial bow. Pulling on the labial bow will displace it and it will start applying pressure in an imbalanced way.

Conclusion

So there you have it, folks! When it comes to wearing retainers, it’s important to make sure that they fit correctly. A well-fitting retainer should be snug but comfortable, and your teeth should loosen up over time so that it’s not difficult to wear. If you notice that your retainer is too loose or too tight, or if it’s not seated all the way, then it’s time to take action.

Luckily, there are solutions to these common problems. If you’re wearing Essix retainers and they’re not fitting properly, you can have them replaced with a new set that fits better. Alternatively, you can try getting thinner retainers that may be more comfortable for you to wear.

And if you’re wearing Hawley retainers, don’t worry! They can be adjusted by your orthodontist to ensure a better fit. By following these tips and taking action when needed, you can ensure that your retainers fit correctly and keep your teeth straight and healthy for years to come.