Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Retainer wrapped in napkin ends up in trash - again!

Here is a letter from someone who has experienced the number one, undisputed champion of lost retainer stories - retainers accidentally thrown away in the trash! This happens so often that the Evertain team in customer service has stopped counting how many times they hear it.

The author of this story won free Evertain retainers for a year for taking the time, and unbelievable detail, to send us her story! Enjoy and think about how easily this could happen to you...

"Loosing your retainer by throwing it in the trash is the number 1 cause of lost retainers. Well, guess what? That's exactly what happened to me. Twice.

The first time it happened, I was at school in the cafeteria for lunch. I sat down, took out my retainer and put it in a napkin (very,very,very bad choice) since it was bugging a lot of my friends. Right after I finished my lunch, the principal decided to give us 10 seconds to get out of the cafeteria or we'd get lunch detention. Since he was counting down, I threw everything on the table into the garbage. Not even thinking about my sad, sad retainer and it's awaited fate in the cafeteria's garbage can. I went through all of my classes and it wasn't until I got home that I realized I didn't have my retainer anymore. I went crazy and became extremely stressed, but I figured I'd never be able to find it. So I eventually told my mom, and she did exactly what I thought she would do: yell at me and give me an hour long lecture about how irresponsible I was.

After I got my second retainer (also resulting in my orthodontist giving me a lecture too), I decided to only wear my retainer when I got home. This way, I wouldn't have to worry about loosing it at school. But considering how forgetful and careless I really am, that didn't work either. Just less than a week ago, I was at my friend's house for a sleep over. Within 20 minutes of getting there, she offered me a muffin. So I took out my retainer, placed it in a napkin (you'd think I would stop doing that by now) and dug into my muffin. After I was done, I completely forgot about my poor retainer and went to the mall. When I got back, I kept telling my self that I should go over to the table and put my retainer back in. But for some reason, I never did. My laziness costed me.

The next day after leaving my friend's house, I went back home and realized I forgot my retainer at her house. I called her and asked her to check if it was on the table where I had left it. Turns out, It wasn't. This time I freaked out so bad I almost cried. She told me her mom did some major cleaning after I left and figured she probably threw it out. I asked her if she could check the garbage, but lucky me, she had already taken it out! I guess my retainer is really attracted to garbage cans. So now, I will be up to retainer number 3... but I haven't gotten the nerve to tell my mom yet. I figure I probably should soon so my teeth don't shift too much. I'm starting to notice a tiny gap. Wish me luck, and next time I'm getting an evertain retainer."

CatherineSeattle, WA 13 yrs.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Life Retained - Dedicated to living with orthdontic retainers

Since launcing the marketplace's first retainer protection program - Evertain - almost three years ago, I have come into contact with so many people and families who live life everyday with orthodontic retainers. I have met some of them when they joined Evertain. Some when they called me to discuss the Evertain program and some of them I found on Myspace, Facebook, and YouTube. All of them have one thing in common - retainers!

The irony, as I see it, with retainers is that they are the most important aspect of orthodontic treatment. These small, relatively simple, devices are the only thing that will keep your teeth straight after you have gone through the investment in and work of going through treatment. Yet rarely do retainers get the respect they deserve. Maybe becuase they are only introduced to the patient at the end of treatment. Then again maybe it is because patients feel, and deservedly I might add, that they have done all the hard work and are finally "done." Whatever the case, I have started Life Retained to bring the focus and respect that these amazing devices deserve.

I will be posting articles and linking to resources on the web that will help people living with retainers understand how important it is to wear their retainers as directed by their doctor. I will also be sharing the storied of those who have lost or broken their retainers. In addition, and with the disclosure that I am involved with Evertain, I will share the stories of our clients who have avoided the hassles and financial loss associated with lost, broken, stolen, etc. retainers.

You, the reader, are invited to contact me and share your stories or ask the questions you may have regarding your Life Retained.