Well, I'm off to get them fitted!

[Adam]

Hey guys,

Today is the day, in a couple of hours I will be off to my dentist to get my aligners fitted! Really excited, but a little apprehensious too. I have to come straight back to work, so hoping that it is not going to be too painful for me. I may work from home if it is that bad.

I have to wear 3 attachments, and have 16 top trays and 19 bottom ones.

I have a question though, flash photography; would the aligners reflect the light?

Thanks,
Adam.

[Sunny]

All the best Adam ... hope it's an exciting day to get your treatment started.

Hopefully you'll find work is fine and you'll be able to cope with any minor discomfort that might occur.

I have no idea about the affect of a flash and aligners, but I'm sure someone on this site will be able to help.

Good luck!

[Adam]

Thanks for the message Sunny.

I am back from my dentist now, and really feeling fine, not pain or real discomfort to report on. Maybe I was building myself up to be in a great deal of pain, which is why this mild irritation is not that bad for me.

Anyway, not really noticed any change in speach either - so far so good

[Adam]

Almost forgot, I had an video done for me of before and after, thought I would share

This is from the front, before and after:


This is from the side, before and after:


Not the best images I know, and think the animation cuts out a little short. Plus the angle is not the best from the front to notice any real difference, but I have a real bad twist on the front two teeth and they stick out bad as you can see from the side view

Adam

[Sunny]

Great to see what your end results will be Adam!

[korinab]

Flash photography -

I haven't noticed any difference in my pictures. But when I put them back in (on lunch) I'll get my camera out and take a test shot.

[Adam]

Thanks, I took a couple of pictures earlier and they seemed to be fine

When my flat mates came home they both asked why I didn't have them in yet lol - they really were shocked at just how hard to notice these things are

[Sunny]

Your flatmates were a great way of testing the visibility of your aligners!

My hubby said the same thing the day I got my braces ... and they definitely can be seen, but I guess only by those who're really looking.

Here's to your comfort levels being good!

[korinab]

Yeah I took a couple pictures with my camera and with my phone and couldn't get the flash to glare off them. It was something I hadn't thought of though. I'm glad to know they don't show in pictures

I think it's amazing how little noticed they are!

[Adam]

Okay morning one, and I woke up and forgot I had them in. But then when I took them out just to clean my teeth, ouch! It kind of hurt taking out the braces, and then my teeth felt sensitive putting them back in again. I have to say the discomfort has returned, almost makes me want to keep them in all day and skip lunch!

[Weeeyin]

Hi Adam & All. I wish I was at your stage! Just back from the ortho for the impressions and photos. Saw my study moulds today, was quite shocked to see them, and thus have decided to go for top and bottom as against just top now, think i've done the right thing. Its was only pennies more really.

I've been told it'll be about 8 weeks till i see the clin check video then another 8 weeks till the trays come through, for something I thought would be started before the end of October is now looking like January. i did a lot of reasearch to find my ortho, I trust him....but why is it going to take so long? Is it coz i'm in the UK and the impressions etc have to go to America?

[Adam]

That's weird. If you see my blog in my signature it was only a month from the first final impressions to be made to me getting the ClinCheck, where you see the video, then from the ClinCheck it was only 2 weeks to the actual fitting.

I would question why it takes so long. I'm in the UK too and really didn't have to wait that long at all.

Adam.

[Weeeyin]

I'll set myself up for it being the 16 weeks or so and any sooner is a bonus I guess. Wonder if being in Scotland is any reason for this or maybe my ortho is just telling me worst case?

[Zoso]

Just guessing, but perhaps your ortho quoted eight weeks from records to Clincheck to allow for the possibility of him rejecting the initial proposal from Align Tech and requesting changes to the treatment plan - if he does iterate on it one or more times, then it could take a few weeks. If I'm right, maybe you'll get lucky and the first plan they send back to him will be up to snuff.

The second eight week delay is again probably him preparing you for the worst, but I have heard of it taking that long for some others (and sometimes even longer) - the whole process involves Align Tech staff and outsourced staff in three different countries - the 3D computer model that is made from your impressions and X-rays is created in California. The treatment plan and Clincheck work are done in Costa Rica. Once the Clincheck and treatment plan are accepted by your dentist, these are sent back to California where moulds are made. These are then shipped to Mexico, where Align Tech outsource to another company to manufacture the trays.

[Tara19]

good luck adam.. i'm sure you love your new smile!

[mariahfromchicago]

Good luck Adam, your teeth look good before in the clincheck, imagine how beautiful your teeth will be afterwards!

[Adam]

I'll set myself up for it being the 16 weeks or so and any sooner is a bonus I guess. Wonder if being in Scotland is any reason for this or maybe my ortho is just telling me worst case?

Don't think being in Scotland should make any difference really.

good luck adam.. i'm sure you love your new smile!

Thanks so much Tara! I can't wait.

Good luck Adam, your teeth look good before in the clincheck, imagine how beautiful your teeth will be afterwards!

That's why I said this is a bad angle because you cannot see how bad they are. But thank you for your kind words.

It is day 3 today for me, and already used to them. Still painful taking off the brace to clean and eat. Well I say painful, it is more uncomfortable. It's easy getting it off and in again. So far no real trouble with it

[Adam]

I have caught my lip in the same place twice now... Ouch!

[Zoso]

You could try wadding up a little dental wax where your lip is catching. Pro: your lip won't catch there; con: slightly more visible.

[Punkin]

Okay morning one, and I woke up and forgot I had them in. But then when I took them out just to clean my teeth, ouch! It kind of hurt taking out the braces, and then my teeth felt sensitive putting them back in again. I have to say the discomfort has returned, almost makes me want to keep them in all day and skip lunch!

As you've probably figured out my now, that discomfort from putting them in and removing them only lasts a few days for each new set of trays.

[Adam]

The reason I caught my lip is because I got over confident fitting them I think and tried with one hand and caught it. Then for some stupid reason did it again, my own fault really.

Yeah it doesn't hurt any more to take them out to clean my teeth or anything, in fact I barely notice they're even in any more. And no one has noticed them in yet either which is good. I'm starting to wonder if my teeth have already moved into place for this aligner now and I could theoretically move onto the next set.

[Sunny]

Great news that your comfort is good Adam.

It's essential that you don't move to a new aligner sooner than perscribed. Movement of the 'exposed' teeth is only one of the processes taking place, and alignment is the first and most obvious. If you were to put undue pressure on your teeth too soon, you risk damaging the roots of your teeth, causing gum problems, prolonging your treatment, etc.

Tooth movement is a precise science and as such we need to trust the people we're paying to oversee this for us.

Here's to your progress remaining good!

[Adam]

Thanks, really pleased with how it is going. No discomfort or pain really in the first week of treatment, I hope it continues.

One of my attachments came off this morning, so have to go get it fitted again today, which is a pain.

[Punkin]

Thanks, really pleased with how it is going. No discomfort or pain really in the first week of treatment, I hope it continues.

One of my attachments came off this morning, so have to go get it fitted again today, which is a pain.

I've had more attachments break and fall off (well, only one fell off), but I've had probably 4 or 5 of them break. My ortho hasn't felt the need to replace any of them yet, as my teeth are still moving as they are supposed to be. ~shrug~

[Adam]

I'm off to see him tomorrow to get another one fitted - hoping this is not going to be a regular occurrence.

[Punkin]

I'm off to see him tomorrow to get another one fitted - hoping this is not going to be a regular occurrence.

My guess would be, as your teeth start to move to their desired location, you'll have fewer issues with this. The ones I broke were on the teeth that stuck out the farthest. I hadn't realized how much they've moved to be in line with the rest of my teeth until I looked at my first set of aligners and compared them to my newest ones. I haven't had any issues with attachments since the first, oh probably, 3 or 4 sets of aligners, so hopefully you'll have the same results - or better

[Adam]

Okay so set two are in now, ready for bed, and they're really tight, more so than the first set seemed to be, I hope when I wake up tomorrow they don't feel so sore. Took a while to get them in too.

[Sunny]

Wow ... set two already ... time is flying!

Hope your mouth feels good when you wake up!

[Adam]

Yeah it is weird how quickly it is going. It is okay now to be honest. Seems that after the 7 hours wearing them in my sleep I am getting more used to them. Although still hard to get them in again after taking out, but I guess it is going to be like this with evrey new set I change to