What is your goal of Mewing? The retainers will hold the teeth together and as such will allow for more palatal reshaping then dental movement. However, there are too many individualistic variables to assess when embarking on such a directive. There is no 1 definition of Mewing.

I wouldn't do it, though, unless there is a need. Since you have been able to get orthodontics, I wouldn't do it. Move along and save yourself some time, effort & money. Even if you ask a myofunctional therapist this, they are willing to take your money to teach you something.

Here's the deal...you need homeostasis with your facial muscles, tongue and teeth. If your smile looks good, just leave it at that. :-)

If there are palate problems or things like that, then perhaps Mewing could help. From the sound of it, though, it seems like your teeth are nice and your bite is good. What more can you ask for?

Well luckily I had braces towards the end of my teenage years so it didn’t affect my face as much as it would of a child. I’m lucky to already have good facial features ( brow ridge, decent cheekbones, good chin). I don’t think My face is recessed at all and if it is, it’s only The slightest. I don’t have a narrow pallet before and after braces. Dentist even told me I wouldn’t need wisdom teeth extraction. My goal with mewing is to maximize my potential facial development. I know how to mew, I’ve been doing it properly and I feel changes going on but I wonder if all my work is for nothing since retainers might bring them back to their original place. My question is what changes can mewing give me with retainers and what can it not do with retainers. I’ve practiced and practiced and practiced so my tongue is always on the roof of my mouth, I swallow properly, I do everything properly even the meal time thing. I’m 18 so there’s still a good couple of years ahead for me to benefit from mewing.

Yes I have very beautiful teeth and smile such I can finally say after years of having crooked front teeth. I don’t mind not having changes on how my teeth look. What I do mind is if my retainer is keeping me away from lifting and projecting my maxilla, my cheekbones, my nose and the rest. I’m not sure if I’m right or not but I remember the wire they put behind my teeth to be somewhat flexible because they had to curve it and shape it to the behind of my teeth. I do feel my teeth ache like when I had braces so I know changes are happening in that area.

My understanding (from Mike Mew himself) about a permanent retainer is that it's the best of both worlds, in that it allows further palate expansion as this mainly involves movement of the "outer" teeth; while also preventing any re-crowding that might occur from disuse of a removable retainer. The one caveat was that it NOT span more than the 4 central teeth, so in your case this may not work unless you have the retainer shortened.

I actually hoped for permanent retainers on my top and bottom rows, but was only given one on my bottom row as (I was told) a wire on my upper teeth would be knocked loose by my lower ones (as they fit inside the top row). Thus I am curious to know how an upper permanent retainer is possible at all(?)

Great to hear that the permanent retainer was a blessing in disguise in regards to mewing. I will have them shortened to only fit the 4 central teeth as you said. As for the possibility of having them on the top row I don’t know the answer. The orthodontist just gave them to me without explanation and I haven’t had a problem with them. Maybe it’s because of the shape of your lower palette compared to your upper one.

@detailaddict

"(I was told) a wire on my upper teeth would be knocked loose by my lower ones (as they fit inside the top row)"

Thats specific to you and how you bite. My lower incisors also fit behind my upper incisors, but not to the point it can reach my fixed retainer

@detailaddict

Hiya, this thread has been very informative and very relevant to me. I just had a quick question regarding what you said about Mike Mew saying the fixed retainer should not span more than upper 4 teeth, where did you find him saying this please? I have a fixed retainer on upper 6 and I thought i was okay untill i read this! Would be very grateful if you clear that up.

Cheers

@samhoran  It was a few years ago when I came across this comment in one of Dr. Mew's videos (while I myself was undergoing myofunctional therapy following braces), so I don't recall where exactly it was.  If you google his name with phrases like "upper retainer" and the like you may find it.  Palate expansion may still be possible with the retainer spanning 6 teeth, just maybe not with the same result(?)  As others here have commented different mouths are different so I couldn't say absolutely that it wouldn't work for you.

@detailaddict

Great thanks for getting back to me. Ive sine been reading lost of other forums saying the same thing. Its subjective like you say, and hard to know what the difference is in results between having no retainer, retainer on upper 4, and upper 6. Im thinking of cutting my one down to 4 so i get the best of both worlds, and i dont wanna ask my dentist! Have you heard of many people being able to cut them down themselves successfully? cheers

@samhoran\

You might be able to find a dentist or orthodontist who practices myofunctional therapy or orthotropics who can help you or at least refer you to someone who can.  These ideas haven't really made much headway in my part of the country yet so I was hard-pressed to find someone for MT.  My orthodontist was old-school so I didn't want to ask him either! :)

@detailaddict

Ah yes, a similar situation for me, im out in the country and its all very traditional... Ill see what i can do, but ive heard people can do it themselves. Now that ive got you and since youre so helpful, can i just clear one thing up. Is the problem with the fixed retainer covering 6 teeth, that it prevents expanding the dental arch? Because i am happy with my teeth, and mewing for me is a means of acheiving wider palate and upwards/ forwards facial movement. If a fixed retainer covering 6 teeth doesnt affect this then I think ill leave it in... Last q i promise!

Cheers

@samhoran - Yes, I believe that would be the issue, as the purpose of the retainer is to maintain a fixed arch which is good in one sense as it prevents the outer teeth from crowding back in but also prevents those 6 teeth (or at least the two outer ones as the inner 4 wouldn't move much anyway) from changing angles or moving farther out.  That's my understanding from my limited, lay knowledge. 

I imagine the worst-case scenario might be that you'd eventually have an inflection point between the 3rd and 4th tooth on each side where your arch changes angles.