My Teeth Hurt in the morning :(

Hi There!, I used to have braces, but that was 4 years ago.. i still wear the retainer every 2nd night...  and for about a month now, when i wake up my teeth hurt so bad!! it feels like something is pushing down on 6 of my teeth (my front ones) with a lot of pressure ... what do i do?? can it be fixed? because this is awefully painful! and it lasts about an hour after i wake up.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Does it hurt on the nights that you wear the retainer or the nights when you don't?  Or is it every night?

[Bianca007]

it hurts a lot when i don't wear the retainer, and when i do wear the retainer it still hurts, just a bit less...

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Do you also wake up with headaches?  It may be possible you're clenching or grinding your teeth at night and putting alot of excessive forces on it?  You may want to see your dentist and get a nightguard to help cushion the forces.  

The retainer may be helping to absorb some of that wear and tear.

It may also be that your retainer doesn't fit as well but I would imagine that if you don't wear it that night, it would feel alot better.