[Paul K]

Originally Posted by masraum

What they told my wife was this. When they are done moving your teeth, and you have to wear the retainer, it's to give your bones/teeth/gums time to set. I guess all of the movement leaves them a bit loose and if you don't hold them in place for a while, they'll try to wander back to where they used to be. Or something like that.

The reason the trays hurt when you switched, was because of the torque that the new trays put on your teeth to try to get them into a new position. The retainers are just retaining the current position, not trying to move them into a new position.

Makes sense. BUT...

My orthodontist told me that the last set would 'set' my teeth. That's certainly the way it felt. I forgot to wear the retainers one night & feared the next night my teeth would hurt due to the correction provided by the retainers, but not at all. Retainers are a PITA, I might try forgoing them or just wear them every other night. I don't like having a mouth full of plastic all night!