Yeah, I hear you on the “pick your poison” thing. I’ve got a fixed retainer and honestly, the flossing is annoying, but not worrying about losing or breaking it is a big plus for me. I used to lose those clear ones all the time—once found one in my jeans pocket after a cycle through the wash... not ideal. Neither option is perfect, but at least the fixed one is predictable. Just gotta keep up with the extra cleaning.
Fixed retainers really are a trade-off, right? The cleaning can be a pain, but I see way fewer emergencies with them than with removable ones. Have you tried those little floss threaders or interdental brushes? Some folks find them easier than regular floss. Curious if you’ve found any tricks that actually make it less annoying?
Yeah, my kid’s got a fixed retainer and honestly, cleaning around it is a whole thing. Floss threaders help, but getting a 12-year-old to use them every night? Not happening. We’ve had better luck with those little brushes—less fiddly, and he thinks they’re kinda fun (for now). I do miss the days when he could just yank out the retainer and brush like normal, but at least we’re not hunting for lost plastic under the couch anymore... Small wins, right?
I hear you on the small wins—my teen’s fixed retainer basically turned flossing into an Olympic event. We tried those tiny brushes too, but I swear half of them end up lost in the sink. At least with the permanent kind, you’re not playing hide-and-seek with plastic every morning... silver linings, right?
At least with the permanent kind, you’re not playing hide-and-seek with plastic every morning... silver linings, right?
That’s so true. My daughter’s had a fixed retainer for almost two years now, and while the flossing is definitely more complicated, we’ve found a bit of a rhythm. I do miss the convenience of removable trays sometimes, but at least we’re not scrambling before school trying to find them under the bed or in her backpack. It’s a trade-off, but I think the stability has been worth it for her bite.
