I've had my bottom retainer for 4 years, it just came off, will my teeth move if I don't get it glued back in?

Question

Yeah, so when I was flossing behind my retainer last night, it just popped off...and I made an appointed w/ my orthodontist, but I was thinking of not having them glue it back in.

Its been there (or was) for about 4 years, so I was wondering if my teeth will really start to shift back to how they were before I had my braces? (which would've been about 5-6 years ago)

I have a removable upper retainer, which I wear about every other night now, and those teeth are fine...but the bottom one has always bothered me since its just always there! So...should I have them put the bottom one back in, or do you think that I will be fine without it?

Answer 1

If you dont wear a retainer, your teeth will likely shift.

I wore braces for about 7 years and I didnt much wear my retainer after getting them off, and within 7 years after that, my teeth were crowded worse then before my braces, and now they look like a mess.

Answer 2

you need to go to the dentist to get them glued back in.

If you don't, your teeth will just move back to where they were and you would have wasted all that time getting braces for nothing!

trust me, that happened to my cousin and now his teeth look horrible again!

Answer 3

Each case is different and you should discuss your options with your orthodontist. It's likely that the bonded retainer was placed because your bottom teeth were significantly rotated before you got braces. The fibers around the teeth are like elastics and are apt to spring back into their original position once the force is taken off of them.

You may want to consider a removable retainer worn every night. That way, you can monitor movement over 24 hours, then put the retainer in and see if it's tight or not. Depending on the amount of movement and time it takes for movement to occur, you and your dentist can decide the best course of action. You also need to consider your age, whether or not you have wisdom teeth, and if they need to be removed. If they're growing in at an angle and putting pressure on your back molars, they can cause your teeth to shift/crowd until they are removed.  

You should make an appointment no matter what, and carefully monitor your bottom teeth until then. That will give your dentist a better idea of what will work best for you.