Are my retainers broken (pic/details inside) and what should I do?

Here is the picture, I'm pretty sure that crack means it's BROKEN.


http://i18.tinypic.com/6jb534x.jpg





Okay so I got my retainers yesterday and I wore them to sleep, I vaguely remember taking the bottom retainer off in the middle of the night because my teeth hurt too much and then I slept on it. So either my retainers broke because I slept on it, or because my teeth grinded so hard that it snapped or something, since I grind in my sleep. The top retainer is fine though.





So what should I do? It's only the first night and I would hate to pay for a new one already! How much does it cost to replace one anyway?? Please help, thanks.

Are my retainers broken (pic/details inside) and what should I do?
go to your orthodontist. if you have retainers, i assume that you had braces already and have paid the orthodontist off for everything. I know with mine, any complications or problems I have the doctor should take care of no charge.
Reply:I think that crack does mean it's broken!





Depending on where you are in the world will affect the cost of replacement.





If it was me this had happened to, I'd go back to my dentist/orthodontist and deny any responsibility.


Don't tell them you forget to take them out last night or that you may have slept on them.


Tell them you followed their instructions completely.


Tell them they broke before you went to bed and that you would have tried calling them but they were closed.





The story I'd give them is...





I took them out because I wanted to clean them. When I put them back in, the top went in fine, but the bottom snapped! I've no idea why. I wasn't rough with them, I followed the instructions you gave me. The bottom retainer must have been faulty."





Believe me when I say braces can be faulty.


I had a top "train-track" about 15 years ago. The first day the cement that holds the clip on the teeth broke off on a few teeth. The wire was often hanging out of my mouth due to problems with the main clips on the back teeth.


When I got the 2nd stage of my treatment, the retainer you have, that broke twice and the third stage was a transparent retainer that the dentist/orthodontist made on-site. They made four retainers to get one that fitted my teeth despite the fact that they had just made a mould of my teeth.





I also grind my teeth. I paid for a gum shield two years ago. The first didn't fit. It was so tight my teeth ached and began throbbing. The second one made (which I refused to pay for on the grounds that the first one was faulty) was more tight than the first!





So, remember that they do make mistakes.


Be confident when you tell them your story and you'll be fine.





:o)



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