I don't know what to do...

[TwilightDwells]

This'll probably be a long story/rant/babbling fit, so I'm apologizing beforehand.

Almost 4 months ago I got my braces, I was happy because I thought things were going to get better after they were gone.
To make it short: I was wrong.
I've broken two sets of retainers since then, I didn't know how I did it and I'm not so sure, but I think I've come up with a logical explanation... Okay, it may not seem very "logical" but it's late, or early if you're a morning person, and I'm kind of out of it.
I think I grind my teeth while I'm sleeping, I have reasons to believe it too, I'm just not sure why. But here are a couple of reasons why I think I might have that problem.
1) Everytime I've noticed my broken retainer, it was always 100% fine the night before.
2) Sometimes, when I wake up in the morning, my jaw hurts so bad and it's hard to eat that day.
3) I constantly wake up with headaches and my jaw clenched.
4) I also occasionally find myself grinding my teeth during the daytime as well, most of the time I don't notice I don't think though... If that makes sense.
5) It seems I find a tiny crack on my bottom retainers too often in the morning that wasn't there the night before.
6) I often get sores and cuts in my mouth that somehow appear overnight on my gums and on the inside of my cheeks.
7) I am known to sleep walk and talk during the night.
8) I wake up a lot with my jaw clentched after nightmares.
9) I've always slept without any movements and am always waking up cramped and uncomfortable.
10) It's really my only good guess.

I just don't know what to do anymore, I want to tell my parents that my retainers are broken again but I'm afraid they'll be mad at me like they were last time. I also am pretty sure that my parents won't believe me if I tell them about how I think I grind my teeth during the night, they never do, no matter what I tell them, they always make up another excuse and say I'm either dramatic or doing it on purpose.
I really don't know what do. This is seriously keeping me up all night, I'm too stressed about everything to sleep, and knowing that I grind my teeth while I'm sleeping doesn't help either. I've been pretending my retainers re fine for a while now even though I know they aren't. I just am so scared, I don't know what to do anymore, or if there is anything I can do. If I worry to much about it I can't sleep at all, but if I try to put it to the back of my head and force myself to sleep, I know that I'll grind my teeth and that'll be difficult.
I know you're all probably screaming in your head right now "Well then just wear your retainers during the day!!??" and all I can say is that isn't so easy.
In my normal school day I have Gym class, Cooking, lunch, and then when I get home I eat again. I need to wear my retainers for at LEAST twelve hours now, so it's impossible to get those hours without cutting into my sleep time. My Gym class is 45 minutes long, my cooking class is two hours long (I could wear my retainers, I've tried, but it's such a hassle), my lunch is another 45 minutes, add all that plus supper, breakfast, and what I eat throughout the day and it's very hard.
I really don't know what to do at this point, it's seriously driving crazy. I just can't figure out what to do, especially since my parents are so concerned bout appearances and everything else, it's hard to get them on board with anything I say. There are things I SHOULD be looking forward to, excited about. I mean, next year I will be going to Paris with my best friend. Sounds exciting right? It SHOULD be exciting, but I'm so worried about everything else that the trip just seems completely taken out of my world. I can't even picture myself being on that trip, somehow I just KNOW that it won't be happening.
I know that sounds weird... But I just can't imagine myself on that trip. I don't feel like I deserve it, and just don't feel like it'll happen with me. I've never been considered lucky or anything, it just doesn't seem right for it to actually happen. I'm just waiting for something to happen to make it stop. I just don't know what's wrong with me or what I'm really expecting for myself or my life.
I'm just really confused and scared. I don't know where to go from here. I don't think my parents will support any of my ideas. They'll blame my retainers breaking again on ME saying I don't take care of them. I try--I try so hard but it still doesn't stop them from breaking. I just don't know what to do, about my retainers, my life, or ANYTHING.
Please help me. I just don't know what to do.

Thank you for reading this if and you read the whole thing. Let's face it, it's not very short or to the point. So thank you.

Edit: Just wanted today that I dint only have two classes during the school day, I was just saying the ones I couldn't wear my retainers in.

[Caiti2]

hey katie
i think u really need to tell ur parents whats going on these authdonic things are designed to help u and if its broken it cant do its job can it? just be complety open and honest with ur parents u cannot control what do u in ur sleep and if u dont fix the probelm its only gunna get worse isnt it?
there are ways to fix the problem ur dentist person (not sure what there called) would no what to do it wouldnt be the first time im sure they can come up with a solution
maybe u could wright ur parents a note i find its easier that way
hope i helped i bit gud luck
luv caitlin

[PSY]

Tell your parents about the broken retainers - the longer you wait, the angrier they will be when they find out you didn't tell them sooner. Your parents may or may not think you're being "dramatic"... sadly, many parents jump to those sorts of conclusions when their children reach the adolescent years. The bottom-line is that your retainers ARE breaking, though, and it's very difficult to do that overnight. It could either be explained by something you're doing unconsciously (ex. grinding your teeth) or by something you're doing maliciously (ex. breaking them on purpose). If you're proactive, approaching your parents and saying, "Hey, I'm tired of breaking my retainers, I want to see someone about this (teeth grinding) and find out what my options are," they're more likely to believe the former is true.