Retainers! probability of wearing them for life? part of me regrets opting for orthodontia now :(?

i'm 20 and i've had braces (without extraction) for a year and a half now and will get atleast the upper set removed in december. i'm so apprehensive about retainers, firstly i've heard that they hurt like crazy, and also that there's a possibility of having to wear them for life!! ughh...imagine making out with retainers filling your mouth...

i also wanted to know for how long one can go without the retainer initially..3 hours? what if it stretches to a little more when required? can 10 hours of not wearing retainers in the first month affect the teeth?
please help!

After orthodontics, there is always the possibility of some relapse. Some people are more at risk than others, and some (as above) are lucky to have no relapse at all.
My suggestion is that after the period of compulsory wearing as dictated by the orthodontist, you then try them in each night before bed. If it is a tight fit, then wear them that night. If not tight, then you can go without them. At most, you will probably only have to wear them overnight every 2nd or 3rd night.

you dont have to wear your retainer for life. I had my braces off when I was 12, I'm 34 and my teeth are still straight. I think I only wore it for about a year and then only at night for a while, actually until I broke it. They dont hurt at all. All they do is keep your teeth from moving back after your braces are taken off.

Well i have this nifty thin metal strip that was glued behind my bottom row of teeth like 6 years ago or something. I totally love it because it keeps my bottom row absolutely straight, which keeps the top row straight- and i dont have to do a thing! My dentist/orthodontist said it can stay there as long as i'd like, forever even. And since it doesnt bother me one bit, I dont really mind because I wouldnt want my teeth to shift back to being all crooked!
The only thing that you have to pay more attention to is the flossing around it. just a little trickier thats all. (oh and btw- no one would ever know you have it!)