Trishi78

I am beginning week 7 of my Invisalign experience. My teeth are generally straight but I have a small over-bite and general spacing issues....not so hot. My friends assure me that the space between my front teeth gives me character. Ahh...I say boo to that. But I view others before photos and consider myself very lucky. I decided on Invisalign because I am 30 and work in consulting. I did not want to wear metal braces...I would rather suffer forever with my space than to look like a 12 year old.

Like everything else in my life, this has also been an adventure. Following my initial appointment, I received a call from my dentist's office. They did not take all the necessary digital photos. Really? I selected you since you were listed as an 'elite' provider. Five weeks later, I was expecting my trays to arrive anyday. I received a call from the dentist office that Invisalign made a mistake and a new lower impression needed to be taken. This is where I stomped my feet like a small child. So...how long are my trays going to take now?

12/15/08: Tray 1: Santa Came Early...

Eleven weeks after my inital appointment, I finally have the goods! I have to admit that I was like a small child waiting to open a present when I got my first set of trays. My teeth looked so shiny! My space appeared to look smaller...it is probably an illusion of the plastic. Yes...I so went home and opened up tray 3 to see my new teeth!

By the the afternoon of the first day, I was in enough pain to pop something to kill it. No pain, no gain? The initial OMG pain subsided after three to four days. It was replaced with a constant pressure in my entire mouth which gave me anxiety for about two weeks. I can not imagine being a hormonal teenager going through this.

After I started treatment, I reflected on how this would change the next year of my life. The doc said treatment would take nine months. I am curious on if this still accurate...24 trays times two weeks would be 12 months of treatment. Hmmm. The dental assistant told me that I can not eat with my aligners in and to only drink water. That just eliminated my afternoon snacking and my weekend shenanigans. This just can't be! So I admit it...I drink whatever whatever with my aligners in. Annnddd...I chew gum! I am such a rebel! It appears that the assistant ommited telling me about brushing my teeth after ever meal...not a need to, a must! It only took one meal for this lesson to be learned....gross! Also, I found a better way to clean my trays by the end of the first two weeks...Crest Whiting Rinse. It contains peroxide. I sure there are better ways. Before the end of the two weeks, I felt as if I had a petri dish
in my mouth. I have not had an issue since I started using the rinse.

In everything I have read, there has been a complete advoidance of this topic...speech. I did not want to talk when I started treatment. Everyone said that they did not notice a difference in my speech. I did! I found the trays distracting when I spoke which also distracted my thoughts. I had the terrible time saying "f"s. It probably took about a month for me to adjust.


1/3/09: Tray 2:
1/17/09: Tray 3:

I am such a cheater! I changed my trays early. I am sure I am not the only on that has done this. So, same deal as before...my front teeth were incredibly sore for about three days and then everything seemed to lock in after a week. I noticed that my bite was starting to change when I chewed and my over-bit was starting to close. Wow...it has only been a month!

In both sets, the trays did not completely line up with my molars on the lower right side when I started the trays. By the end of the tray, it fit. I am amazed by the process. Tray 3 was a bear. It rubbed against the bottom of my tongue to the point that I didn't want to talk. I read that someone filed down the tray. Why did I not think of that?

2/2/09: Tray 4

I had the attachments added a week ago...six upper (in the front!) and four lower. Wow...that seems like a lot! Let me start by saying that I have never had a cavity...this was sooo unformtable. An upper attachment came off at the dentist office after the assitant put my tray in. My tray is was so tight that I could not remove it. I did managed to get the tray out on my own that night...but I broke off an attachment. Really? No one told me that this would happen.

I could so do without these attachments. I take my trays out to eat only as established earlier. The time my trays are out is minimum (less than an hour). It is so diffucult to remove the trays...plus it hurts to remove them. I would go on liquid diet but fear I would lose weight. I am self-conscience when I eat for fear that I will get food stuck on the attachments. I do not foresee me eating on date anytime soon. Excuse me..I need to remove my teeth. He might not call!

But overall...so far so good! It is wonderful that I am smiling all the time. I smile in pictures now. My mom is so proud.