Retainers at age 33

I just got a set of retainers.  Yeah, like a teenager.  I wore braces for years and slept in a retainer for about 5 years after that.  At some point I cracked the top retainer down the middle of the plastic, but I super-glued it back together and it worked.  And then I lost it.  My teeth have shifted slightly and one of my front teeth has shifted just slightly behind it’s neighboring teeth.  It’s not enough for most people to notice, but it bugs me. I didn’t realize that new retainers were even an option that long after braces until my sister got new ones last year.  I figured since I could use my healthcare spending account for retainers, it would be worth getting them.  I ended up getting a normal clear plastic retainer for the bottom teeth, because although they have shifted, you can’t tell and I just want to prevent them from shifting further.  Since I want to move the one front tooth on top, I had to get a spring-loaded retainer that would help push that tooth forward.  My ortho had to put a blob of composite on the back of my tooth to give the spring something to grab onto to push on the tooth, so it feels like I have a braces bracket on the back of the tooth.  Awkward! I’ll get used to it though.  He thinks it will only take a few months to push that tooth forward and then I won’t need the spring. As odd as it sounds, I don’t mind that they make my teeth sore.  It sounds weird, but I used to like getting my braces tightened and how it would make my teeth sore.  What I don’t like is how I can’t talk when I’m wearing them.  Lo can never understand me.  Luckily I don’t have to wear it at work or in public.  I got the retainers on my friend’s birthday, so I sent him this pic to wish him a happy birthday.  He has to wear retainers too, so he knows how lucky I am.  I’m so glad the snow (from the reflection in my sunglasses) has melted.  It was a beautiful coat-less weekend in January.