Not wearing retainers

[Anonymous]

My kid got his braces off a few months ago. He’s been forgetting more and more often to put on his retainers at night.

We invested (100% out of pocket) in braces because he had pain and grinding due to teeth not meshing correctly.

I remind him. DH reminds him. I’ve even woken him at 2am to put the darn things in.

What worked to get your kid to comply with ongoing treatment?

[Anonymous]

Tell him he can pay for the next round.

[Anonymous]

Can you take him back to the orthodontist for a talking to? At our next to last appointment a kid was in with their parent and they hadn't been wearing their retainer and it no longer fit. The ortho said they need braces again and the girl started crying. (I can only imagine what the parents who were probably paying felt.) That really resonated with my kid and they frequently mention how they don't want to be that girl.

[Anonymous]

I told my DD that if her teeth moved because of not wearing her retainers, I wouldn’t pay for braces again. That would be on her.

[Anonymous]

Permanent retainer.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, we had an awful time with this. What worked best was charging a fee for noncompliance and being consistent about charging that fee. So if you have to wake him up at 2 am, that's money out of his pocket each and every time.

[Anonymous]

There needs to be a more immediate consequence than "you'll pay for your future braces." Teenagers do not have enough of a well-developed sense of the future and the price of things. Find something that is more important than whatever they are enjoying about not wearing the retainer. It does not have to be related at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Permanent retainer.

I demanded a permanent retainer after my son's multiple step process, which included a second round of Invisalign ($3K) because he didn't wear retainers at all after braces. Unfortunately, he could only get that on the bottom and he still doesn't wear the top.

If he wants them fixed later in life, that's on him.

Invisalign, metal braces, invisalign again for a total of $10K and I lost track of how many years

Yes, he is generally this noncompliant, should have done metal braces from the start. I do not recommend the Invisalign for ADHD, noncompliant kids!

[Anonymous]

Show your kid pictures on google with bad teeth so that they can see what their future looks like if they don’t take care of them. Imply they might end up with dentures before 30 if they don’t comply.

[Anonymous]

I know there’s no connection but I take the phone for most things or threaten to, and it works. Sad that it has that leverage but I guess oh well.

[Anonymous]

Neither of my kids consistently wear their retainer. I don’t know how long it’s been for my 18 yo and his teeth have definitely moved back. My younger kid still sometimes wears it but it’s only a matter of time.

How many adults do you know who wear a nightly retainer? I do but I think I’m the minority. I regret wasting money on braces and Invisaligns for them. It will be on them to pay later if they want. I had Invisalign as an adult.

Our orthodontist is against permanent braces for a bunch of reasons. One that stuck with me is people often don’t brush well enough and they cause permanent damage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Neither of my kids consistently wear their retainer. I don’t know how long it’s been for my 18 yo and his teeth have definitely moved back. My younger kid still sometimes wears it but it’s only a matter of time.

How many adults do you know who wear a nightly retainer? I do but I think I’m the minority. I regret wasting money on braces and Invisaligns for them. It will be on them to pay later if they want. I had Invisalign as an adult.

Our orthodontist is against permanent braces for a bunch of reasons. One that stuck with me is people often don’t brush well enough and they cause permanent damage.

I’ve had a permanent retainer top and bottom since I was 14. I’m 51.

No damage. No issues. No teeth problems. I think the Invisalign people have had a word.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Show your kid pictures on google with bad teeth so that they can see what their future looks like if they don’t take care of them. Imply they might end up with dentures before 30 if they don’t comply.

You think that a tween or teen has any concept that they will ever be 30 years old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I told my DD that if her teeth moved because of not wearing her retainers, I wouldn’t pay for braces again. That would be on her.

This is what we said. And I will not. I didn't want to argue. 15 years old. I'm not paying again. no doubt if he wants straight teeth he will have to pay for it.

[Anonymous]

Glad this post came up. Just charged my kid $25 when I saw he left his retainer at home and I drove it to school for him to wear it. I said thr fines would continue for non compliance (this was after many weeks of pestering him to remember to wear it). Compliance has definitely been better since the fee. It's maddening when you've sunk significant money and time into said smile