First tray next week...questions??

[luvmekids]

Hi
I have my first tray being put on next week and have a few questions

1)What are some good hints and tips for me while wearing them. One I have read was to swish warm water around your mouth just before you take them out as it stretches them a little bit to make it easier and to run them under warm water being putting them back in for the same reason.

2)Im going to need some of my teeth to be filed down so that they can move past each other. Has any else had this and what was it like? Must say the thought of it does not apeal!

Thanks

[Coop22]

I just started Invisalign last week so I'm not sure how helpful I can be. Are you getting buttons put on your teeth the first day? I don't get them until tray 4 so right now it's extremely easy to get the trays out and put them back in. I suspect the buttons will slow me down a lot... and I'm dreading it.

It seems like almost everyone needs their teeth filed. They give you the option of having teeth pulled or filing but who wants to have perfectly good teeth pulled? That's crazy! I'm having the filing done, but not until tray 13. I have heard you don't even know it's happening... no pain at all.

Good luck!

[Zoso]

Ask your doc for the little aligner tool - a little hook that is meant to help take them out. Some people swear by the tool (ie think it's a great help) and others I think might swear at it, because it doesn't work for them But you may as well have the choice. I've seen others recommend using the corner of a towel to help grab the trays for removal. Browse round - those who've been there have lots of great tips and tricks.

Do check with your doc though about this warm water idea - I have no idea whether that is advisible, and worry a little in case it warps the trays at all. (I may be worrying too much and without need but better safe than sorry).

And one piece of advice I have repeatedly seen is that many Invisalign patients swear by popping a new tray in last thing at night, so they sleep off the tightest, most uncomfy hours.

[luvmekids]

Thanks will definately ask for the tool thingy! And will remember the night thing as well. As for the water thing, it did stress that the water should only be warm, not hot.

As for the buttons I think they go on about tray 3 and not sure about when the filing will done.

I must say Im kinda nervous about the whole thing. I have dreamed of having straight teeth all my life and Im very excited about the whole thing BUT Im a bit apprehensive at the same time. Its a big commitment for the next 15 months. Oh and one thing is that Im a big snacker during the day, this will have to stop wont it?

[Zoso]

It will be hard to accomodate the snacking and the clean-up, and still keep your required hours of wear. But if you picked snacks where you might be able to get away with a quick rinse after, maybe you can figure it out. Depends too how long you like to linger over meals, and whether you're the type who has a lot of lattes or tea or whatever. (It's the drinks that would have made it a non-starter for me!)

[Coop22]

My snacking during the day is now non existant. I use to work out and you're suppose to eat every 2 - 3 hours, but I already brush my teeth 4 times a day so that's my limit. I have a very busy job and can't afford to be in the bathroom brushing 3 times during the work day.

BTW, my ortho gave me the removal tool in with my Invisalign kit. I didn't have to ask for it and so far, I haven't had to use it. Finger nails work great.

[lemon tree]

I've had my tray for a few weeks now and was a bit concerned about losing weight. what i've started doing is drinking a meal replacement milkshake in the mid afternoon to offset pre dinner snacking urges.

[JennaSmiles]

What a great post and replies! Im about to change to tray 2 tonight, very excited! i definitely feel a difference already, but it could be because of the filing. my filing was done on the first visit along with the buttons. i have 9 trays for the top and 18 for the lower (rotated tooth) Fingernails are n easy way to get the trays off, i rinse them off after i take them out and brush them with a tooth brush and warm water in the morning.

as for snacking, i'm also on a diet, i eat: breakfast, a smoothie (straw) two hours before lunch, lunch (aligners out), meal replacement drink like slimfast before dinner (straw) and then dinner (aligers out). i've lost 5.5 in 3 weeks! doing great over here!

[cboy]

having these trays makes it easy for my to eat less, since its more time consuming to eat , and then re install.
I am skinny but stomach is always trying to get a headstart , so I think this will be a great time to get toned up a bit.

also , filing doesn't hurt a bit , and always remember how the final product will look and how confident you will feel.

My buttons get installed next week , but I think if I tug from the back it wont be too hard.

right now I am a pro at removing them and popping them back in, but its only been a week & a half

[luvmekids]

Just a quick one. I thought you could only drink water when you have your trays in? Does it make a difference if you drink it through a straw?
Also I have watched numerous video's on you tube on the subject and noticed that quite a few people have said that one drawback is having a dry mouth with them in and one girl said she was going to ask the ortho if she could suck on a sugar less mint. She never told us the answer so can I?

[Zoso]

luvme: you are correct most orthodontists and dentists, and certainly Invisalign themselves state that you should only drink plain cold/cool water, and nothing else, with the trays in place.

Hot drinks, of course, risk weakening or warping the trays.

And, even when drinking with a straw, you are most likely going to leave some residue of that drink behind on the teeth, trapped between the trays and the teeth. This is bad. Many drinks are sufficiently acidic to weaken your enamel. And many contain sugars or carbohydrates that the bacteria in the mouth can convert to acids. So if you are going to do this, I'd suggest at least popping teh trays out and rinsing the trays and your mouth thoroughly with plain water afterwards.

Of course, many Invisalign patients do "cheat" and drink other drinks with their trays in place. With suitable care, you can probably get away with a lot. So (as I said) rinse with water afterwards if it is an isolated drink, and don't spend entire mornings/afternoons/evenings sipping drinks except on an occasional basis. Also, adding a fluoride rinse to your nightly cleaning routine might help counteract any weakening of the enamel due to "cheating".

I'm not advocating drinking anything but water with the trays in place, mind you - I don't know enough to know what you can and can't get away with (and it probably varies from one person to another) - I am just suggesting some things you could do that might help reduce the risk if you do decide to break this "rule".

[marajade]

My best advice is to pick up some pre-pasted toothbrushes. I found them online for about 32 cents each and they are all indivdually wrapped. I keep them in my purse, my car, my desk, my briefcase and brush after every meal or drink. They are the greatest thing since sliced bread!!!

[myhollywoodsmile]

Hi there,

I'm not sure how, with all that I'm getting done but somehow there is no filing in my program.

I have unfortunately managed to keep up my snacking habit, I just spend half my day brushing and flossing, which I must confess is getting a little bit tedious.

I am off to buy some flouride mouthwash tomorrow as I don't have any. I just wanted to ask though, as we have flouride in our water here, could that give me too much flouride does anyone know?

Thanks

[Sunny]

The amount of fluoride in water is not usually considered sufficient, and that's why it's recommended that a mouthwash containing fluoride is used as well.

This is a subject that is debated by many, and I grew up in an area that didn't have fluoride in it's water ... and still doesn't, due to public pressure.

It's great that you have enough space in your mouth without the need for IPR!

[Zoso]

My best advice is to pick up some pre-pasted toothbrushes. I found them online for about 32 cents each and they are all indivdually wrapped. I keep them in my purse, my car, my desk, my briefcase and brush after every meal or drink. They are the greatest thing since sliced bread!!!

Please be careful. If you brush right after consuming acidic drinks, you risk brushing away the enamel, since it will have been softened by the acids in teh drink. Best thing to do is rinse well with plain water, and not brush til a half hour later.

It's not as bad with foods, since the amount of saliva that is secreted whilst you chew will tend to neutralise the acids. This is one reason that many dentists advise that the best time to drink fizzy drinks*, if you cannot give them up entirely, is with food.


*just using fizzy drinks as an example - many or indeed most drinks apart from plain water, are acidic, including sports drinks, and fruit juice (even apple juice).

[myhollywoodsmile]

Goodness, thanks for that Zozo, I had no idea. I have to confess I have a serious diet coke habit, and take my aligners out, have a glass, brush, floss and chuck them back in. That's another vice I'm going to have to give up!

[Sunny]

Myhollywoodsmile ... recently in Aussie, there's been quite a bit of money spent on advertising about the damage that can be done to tooth enamel. I think most tea time/nights there's adverts on a couple of channels. It explains about the damage acid in food and drinks, and that rinsing is better than brushing for 30 minutes.

These adverts also advertise a toothpaste and mouthwash that they recommend for improving the enamel on your teeth. ... but if you ignore that part of the advert, the rest is good information.

You can still have a some coke, although if you're happy to give it away, that's probably even better for you. The important thing is, after you've had some fizz, don't brush ... instead rinse your mouth a few times with water and wait about 30 minutes before brushing.

Good luck!

[luvmekids]

It all seems too much time spent in the bathroom for me so I have given up my one vice which is diet coke as well! It has a been a looooong week but I have managed it. It is amazing how many times I actually go to the fridge and go to grab a drink of coke and I have to stop and take a bottle of water instead! Waiting to have my fizzy with my food makes it even more enjoyable..

Loving the one kilo that I lost this week though!!

[myhollywoodsmile]

Myhollywoodsmile ... recently in Aussie, there's been quite a bit of money spent on advertising about the damage that can be done to tooth enamel. I think most tea time/nights there's adverts on a couple of channels. It explains about the damage acid in food and drinks, and that rinsing is better than brushing for 30 minutes.

Haha- I'm not sure how I missed that- maybe I need to watch more tv!!

[Zoso]

luvme - that's absolutely the best way to enjoy your cola. Not only do you have the chewing/saliva thing going, but you'll consume it in a relatively short sitting (far better than sipping over a long period of time). I'm a big believer in finding a way still to live your life despite being in braces/Invisalign!