Starting Invisalign Soon!

[loynut]

Hi everyone,

First time poster here! My treatment begins in two days and I must say that I'm pretty nervous! Like most of you have mentioned, I've lately been thinking "What I have got myself into?!".

I'm just wondering if any of you have some tips that will help me get through the first couple of days/weeks. I'm most scared about taking the aligners off for the the very first time to eat haha.

The attached picture is what my teeth looks like now. Looking forward to sharing my experience with everyone here!

[angel9165]

Congrats loynut! I don't believe you will be disappointed. Tips...for the pain the first few days of new trays, ibuprofen. The trays are always tightest the first few days so you may need a "tool" to remove them. My dentist suggested a crochet hook, I just happened to have a plaque tool so I used that. It's helpful to have something that will fit under and help you slide the trays off the teeth. I have learned to put my new trays on right before bedtime so I have the night to let them settle in. Plan your meal time as it takes a little getting used to...can't just eat & drink at will anymore (that's one of the hardest adjustments in my opinion). I'm sure you will hear many other helpful tips. This is the place to be for invisalign patients!
Welcome!

[MCOMarkhamOrthodontist]

Another great tip is to stay motivated and understand that your teeth ARE moving, even though you may not see a huge change. You'll be looking at your teeth many times a day, and so it's very difficult to notice any movements. Hold onto your first tray and make a comparison to your future ones. If everything is tracking well, you'll definitely see the changes.

Stay motivated and disciplined with wearing the aligners and you'll come out with a great smile in the end!

[ChicagoJohn]

The initial "what have I done" shock wears off after a few days. Before you know it you'll be switching to tray #2, then 3, etc. and it will just start to get much, much easier. Be sure to take pics as you go along so that when you get frustrated you can go back and compare and get motivated again.

For me, the soreness, tightness, etc. is very minor compared to the ordeal of adjusting my lifestyle around wearing these trays for 22 hours a day. But you'll develop a routine. Everyone does.

Good luck!

John

[thedistrict3]

Congrats! You must be thrilled!

Some tips:

Put your aligners in a warm bowl of water with a efferdent tablet every night when you have your dinner and you'll have bright, clear trays!

Also, brush your trays lightly after every meal.

Keep to a 22 hour routine and you'll have no trouble!

[loynut]

Thanks for the tips everyone . Tomorrow's the big day!

[telleki]

Your teeth are already so pretty and white - when you're done with treatment you're going to have a killer smile!!

I use the efferdent too...and it works great. I've been in the same trays now for 3 weeks, and never a trace of buildup on them.....and I've found that during the day, making sure I always have water to swish with helps keep the funky-mouth away!

Congrats and good luck!

[Phantom Muse]

Yes, your teeth already look great! I second everyone's advice - especially about putting in new trays after dinner so that your teeth have a good 10-12 hours to make any initial moves before you have to take them out. It's soooooo much easier that way, in my opinion.

Lifestyle change... indeed! Don't be too hard on yourself the first few weeks and find a groove that is comfortable for you. Remember tomorrow that it really does get easier!

Feel free to post your questions anytime! Good luck!

[thedistrict3]

Tell us how it goes today!

[angel9165]

Thanks for the tips everyone . Tomorrow's the big day!

Hope it's going well for you today!

[loynut]

Hey everyone!

So it's already been a day with the my invisalign and it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I have 15 L and 15 U trays.

The hardest part was eating for the first time. My appointment was at 2 pm but I decided not to eat dinner until 10 pm. Taking the lower trays off were easy enough but the upper trays took some work! Luckily my ortho provided a plastic tool to help get under the trays to remove them. My teeth were SORE so I just had to chew slowly. It actually felt better with the trays on than off haha.

Today was much better and my teeth are not as sore so I can eat normally. I'm getting the hang of the routine but the real challenge is when I go to work on Monday.

One thing that surprised me was how unnoticeable they were. No one in my family knew I had them in my mouth until I told them. The only noticeable thing are the attachments (as you can see in the pic) but really, it's not a big deal. The trays also filled in some of the spaces in my upper teeth, which is also a plus!

Thank you all again for the tips!

[Phantom Muse]

Congrats on getting started! As for work... just try to carry on as normal. The only issue ever for me has been how to brush discreetly after each meal. I can now proudly say that I can brush anywhere and I suspect no one is the wiser! Also, I did cut back on all snacking - rarely eat between meals now - but that is not necessary unless that feels better to you. I am tired of the cleaning issue and I'd rather not deal with it more than I have to, so it is easier just to skip the snacks.