One Hour Into Invisalign and Hating Every Minute...

[Patch]

Hey Guys,
So I literally just got back from getting my first trays put in and I'm all of a sudden feeling a lot more pessimistic about the whole thing. All I had heard before starting is that the trays weren't visible and wouldn't affect my daily life. Now that I have them in, I can't help but feel that is not the case. They look and feel fine except for the attachments (three upper, five lower) which, in my mind, stand out very obviously whenever I open my mouth. I wasn't a guy with much self-confidence before getting the trays and now I feel even worse. I'm just worried that a good portion of my collegiate life is going to be ruined by these trays... any advice or encouragement would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Phantom Muse]

Patch,

Welcome to the forum! Please know that you are not the only one who has felt this way right after getting the aligners!!!!!!! When I got mine about two months ago, I was surprised at how visible I thought they were. I have seven attachments (4 on my upper front teeth) and I thought I looked like a vampire. After a few days, however, I became much more comfortable with them, and truly, except at mealtimes, I now forget that I have them! On those first couple of days, everything feels so weird because the whole thing is so new...

The true test of their visibility (remember, I have seven prominent attachments) was when I went with my daughter to her ortho's office to get her metal braces off about a month ago. After talking with the ortho a bit, he told me that I would be next for braces. I had seen him for a consult a few months prior to that, and clearly, he didn't notice that I now had Invisalign (and I have a really big smile...). If the ortho doesn't notice, most everyone else won't either!

Hang in there, and remember that you will be so very happy with your smile when all is said and done.

By the way, how many trays do you have?

[mommamorin]

Hi Patch, welcome.
I assure you your aligners are nowhere near as obvious as you think they are. In all the time I have had them (November 2008 with 9 attachments) no one has ever commented. I have been in retainers now for months and honestly, I leave them in most of the day even though nightime wear is only needed! I am so used to them now it feels funny to me not having them in. I think it was in my 2nd tray that I was used to them, so hang in there. Also, you will not believe how fast time will fly and you will have that smile you're dreaming about.
good luck to you.

[liccledevil83]

Hi Patch,
Sorry to hear your feeling so pessimistic about your trays. I'm sure you're far more concious of them because its new to you and hardly any one else will notice, I've got 12 attachments and hardly notice mine at all now. No one else has picked up on them unless I've shown them. I've told lots of people I've got a brace and they've assumed I didn't have it in when telling them. People won't pay as much attention to your teeth as you think so won't notice the attachments.
It won't take long to settle in to a new routine with the trays, although the first week or 2 will probably bring its challenges. I've just put my 5th tray in tonight, the aligners are just normal life for me now.
Good Luck and stick with it! You'll be getting along fine with your invialign before you know it, you and everyone else will forget they're there!
Tx

[Mr. Z]

Hey Patch, i went through the same feelings when i first got mine on. For the first week or two I was completely thinking that i had lost my mind somewhere along the line...electing to do this to myself! I really honestly thought about getting a refund and quitting. They were uncomfortable, my speech was messed up, it was a pain in the a$$ flossing and brushing all the time and was very worried about what it would mean for my dating life...

I had just met a girl (prior to getting invisalign) who i was very interested in. We had only been on one date, but it went really well - we had a great time and think we both felt a connection. Following the date, we were in touch a lot and things were going smoothly, she seemed eager to go out again. In between our first and second date I had the invisalign put in and when the date came around, i had only been in them for a few days. Needless to say, i was feeling very self concious and uncomfortable on the date. Even though i had explained it to her and she said it's no issue, it was still awkward and i wasn't myself. I don't think the date went horrible, it was still pretty decent, but, it was an effort for me.

I'm about 4weeks into my course and i feel much more adjusted now then at the begining. But, make no mistake about it, i want these things off and can't wait for the end of my treatment. So, i know exactly what you're talking about. But, you've got to look at the big picture and focus on what the end result will be. It will be worth it in the long run. And it does go quickly. I can't believe i'm going to start tray 3 this weekend - it's going by pretty fast; so hang in there.

[Waldo]

Relax... they are hardly visible, and will become pretty comfortable in a few days. Nobody has noticed mine at all; the only person who asked didn't notice the aligners, but saw the blue case on my desk. My wife didn't even notice when I came home with them the first day. My ortho didn;t know I was wearing them at my appointment today until he took a close look. You will be conscious of them for a while - they are plastic things in your mouth pushing on your teeth - but unless you are walking around with a huge all teeth smile right in people's faces then it's all in your head...

[Patch]

Thanks guys. Reading those posts really does make me feel better about the whole thing. Its been two days so far and no one has noticed yet, so thats a good thing. At the same time though I can't exactly say I've been my normal self. Because they're still new to me, I've been conscious of how often I smile or laugh and try to turn away from conversation when I do. I suppose those are things that will fade with time and the adjustment though.

To answer your question Phantom, I have 12 Upper and 9 Lower trays, so I'm assuming I should be done in six months? Hopefully that will be the case. I'll try to post updates until then though!

[ToniB]

I have been in the Invisalign about a month now. I hate the attachments - especially the ones that are on my top 1st lateral incisors. I look like I have sideways fangs. When I smile without the Invisalign on, I can see people looking at my teeth...I am very self conscious. The dental tech that put them on showed me the ones on her teeth. Suprisingly the ones on her teeth weren't as noticable. I have looked over documentation I used to decide on Invisalign, and I cannot find anything that mentions these 'attachments'. I am going to ask for them to be filed down at least some on my next appt.

[Mona]

yep I too find it not that great from Align tech (was that the name of the company?) that they are not showing or mentioning the attachements anywhere - I have found out about them before I got them only by visiting this and other forums from other Invisalign users. Even my ortho didn't mention them without me asking if I would get them. And I have yet to come accross anyone that wears Invisalign and doesn't have attachments! Luckily I only have two.

[Rosieee]

Ive got 16 attachments - one on every tooth on my top arch also. They don't bother me!

[Patch]

Are attachments even absolutely necessary? My orthodontist said not to worry if one fell off, and literally the first time I pulled my trays out I lost one. I asked him about this and he said they would just replace it at my next appointment which is eight weeks away, or roughly 1/3 of my whole treatment time. After hearing that, I was immediately saddened that it was one of the inconspicuous back molar attachments that fell off and not one of the dead sexy and very obvious top shelf guys.

[Phantom Muse]

I think that different attachments are facilitating moves at different times and with different trays, so maybe the attachment you lost isn't really being utilized in your first trays so it doesn't need to be replaced yet. My clincheck showed an eighth attachment but there was no space for it in any of my trays, so I have become friends with just my seven little guys.

I agree... I only knew about attachments because my ortho mentioned there might be a small chance I would need a few, but I swear the ones he showed me in the office were A LOT smaller than the ones I have. I am okay with it all now, as I have grown very used to them.

Patch - For a time, I sometimes turned away from people when talking and smiling, but I don't worry about it anymore. You'll feel better soon! You have a short "sentence" so time will fly faster than you think possible!