My son has done several years of invisalign and has been done since last year. Since then he's been wearing the Trutain retainers nightly. (The clear plastic kind). These cost about $400 ($200 for the lower and $200 for the upper). Over the past year they have both cracked after about 6 months; I replaced both, but now they are cracking again. He is very careful when removing, but they seem pretty flimsy and perhaps he also chomps his teeth at night -- not sure why they are cracking.
I called the ortho today to see about getting him something more durable; she said they have traditional retainers, but they will cost $450 each so $900 to replace both.
This is not in my budget at the moment, or perhaps ever. It seems really overpriced, so I am looking into alternatives.
I would NEVER look into DIY orthodontics that involves moving teeth around but... his teeth are completely straight and lovely right now. They are exactly as they should be and just need a little help to stay that way. I'm seeing "DIY" retainers on the internet for $90 a pair and am wondering .... are they a legit way to go?
What other options are there for cheaper retainers? Can I shop around and try to find a new ortho to take a scan and get them cheaper that way? Wondering what other people have done.
