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Question:
Retainers cause bleeding? I have been wearing a plastic retainer for nearly 2 years.
I usually wear it at night and I tend to grind my teeth whenever I wear it. When I wake up and remove the retainer, I have noticed that my gums bleed and/or become sore.
I noticed when I wore my braces that I did tend to grind my teeth a lot. I think that when I grind my teeth the plastic rubs up against my gums and cuts it causing them to bleed. For this reason, I stopped wearing my retainer for a few months.
However, I noticed that my teeth started to shift again making my gap reappear so I began wearing the retainer only at the top again as a result.
Is there anything that I can do to help prevent my gums from bleeding? ... Visitor from TX
Answer:
I would suggest seeing an orthodontist in your area to obtain a wrap-around retainer.
This retainer will not contact the opposing teeth during grinding Which will prevent your problem from occurring. If you are grinding your teeth and there are signs of wear, I would suggest a bruxism splint made from a hard acrylic material.
This splint will not contact the gingival tissue during grinding and will prevent your teeth from wearing down. It can also serve as your retainer to prevent the teeth from shifting.
I would also suggest seeing your family dentist just to make sure there are no signs of gingivitis or ongoing periodontal disease from improper brushing. This too could be contributing to the bleeding your are seeing around the gum tissue.
James J. Awbrey, D.M.D.
4895 Windward Parkway, Suite 200
Alpharetta, Georgia GA 30004
(770) 751-1688
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