First Set of Invisalign and all kinds of questions

[sukru13]

Hi Everyone,
I have so many questions, so I am going to start with my 1st one: I just got my first set of aligners put in almost 5 days ago. Originally I had 2 attachments on the top and 4 on the bottom. Day 2, Saturday morning, my first attachment on the top fell off. Today one of my attachments on the bottom came off. I called the dentist office because my next appointment to get my second set of trays is not until 5 weeks from my first appointment, so almost 4.5 weeks from now. The orthodontist doesn't come to this office very often, so the front desk lady from the dentist called the ortho's assistant and told me that if the aligners stay in without the attachments that I am fine and don't need them replaced. Through my internet research, I get different results. Most people have them put back on right away. Do you guys think I should be ok?
2nd question: To make room the ortho had to shave some of my teeth. I didn't expect the gaps to be as big as they are. I am very self-conscious now with the aligners off. Something I did not expect at all. Will the gaps fill up? Has anyone else have problems with that?
3rd question: I have 13 trays for my upper teeths and 10 for the bottom. I originally went in for my bottom teeth and was suprised that I will have more work done on my tops, which is also where they shaved the teeth. I didn't ask my dentist how long my treatment will last. Before they took the first molds they told me something like 12 months. Reading a lot more on the web and with only 13/10 trays, seems like my treatment may be much shorter than expected?
4th question: What are refinements and how many trays do you get for that? My ortho hasn't mentioned anything about that yet.
Thanks everyone!

[Phantom Muse]

Welcome Sukru!

1. Sometimes the attachments are placed on your teeth before they are needed to assist in movement. It is quite possible that this is your case and if the ortho said things are fine, I'd not worry. However, I always prefer to talk with the ortho rather than the assistant about these things; it's the only way I rest easily. Am I correct in understanding that you are wearing your first set of trays for 5 weeks? That seems like a long time.

2. I did not have to have IPR, but I still have a gap the size of Montana between my two upper front teeth (where there used to be no gap)! I am not worried that it will not close, but it may take another few trays - or more - so the gap is an incentive to wear the trays as I can't stand the way things look on top without them now! Never thought I'd say that...

3. I, too, have a lower number of trays (12U/7L) and I am on tray 7. My lower teeth are beautifully straight - but not perfect. By that I mean that one tooth is a teeny bit out of alignment. My ortho told me last week to expect 12/7 again for refinements. I can't figure out how things could be more straight than straight, but I am a trusting soul - and I am no longer stressed about having Invisalign - so I will be patient. You will see changes within a few more trays most likely, and that will be motivating, and if you are like me, it will be enough to make you excited about having great teeth - without worrying about how long treatment will be.

4. Refinements are additional series of sets of trays (think of it like having your original treatment only your teeth are starting in a better position) and there is no limit to the number of trays you can receive for each refinement, only a limit to the number of series of refinements you can have. For me, I can have up to three series of refinements, but I think I'll be okay with one series. That was included in my fee, and since you have so few trays (but more than Invisalign Express) I would think you fall into the same category. Ask your ortho if you are not sure!

Hope this helps! Good luck!

[sukru13]

Hey Phantom Muse.
Thank you for responding. It's good to hear from someone.

1. Yeah, I would definitely feel better if I could talk to the orthodontist instead of office assistants who where just told to answer a certain way. It definitely doesn't reassure me. But I've called multiple times and they contacted the head assistant of the ortho,which are supposedly telling her the same thing. I am supposed to wear them for 4 weeks but they couldn't fit me into the schedule until 5 weeks later which bothers me but hopefully I'll have better luck with the next appointments. I am definitely going in with a long list of questions next time I have my appointment. Hopefully no more attachments are going to fall out.

2. Yes, the gaps are a HUGE incentive for me to wear mine as well which is why I really want this to work now. Before I always thought, oh well if I don't like it, I am just gonna take them out and forget about it even though it's a lot of money, but now, I need this to work.

3. How many months have you had your invisalign?

4. The ortho has not told me anything about refinements yet, but there are many other things I didn't know ahead of time, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's coming my way as well. We'll see.

In general my teeth are pretty straight, almost everyone is asking me why I am doing it, but having tongue thrust, some crowding and I had noticed that my teeth were shifting, I really just wanted this to be taken care of.

Thank you!

[Phantom Muse]

Sukru -

1. Perhaps after this next visit, your ortho will give you more trays to take home so there won't be a delay before putting in your next tray. Mine gives me three sets at a time (so I visit him every six weeks). Sometimes the first trays are worn for a bit longer anyway just to get things going. I took a loooooong list of questions to my first follow-up visit to the ortho and he patiently answered each and every one of them (basically I would not have let him out the door otherwise!). It really only took 5-10 minutes, and I was a much more relaxed patient after that!

2. For the first two weeks, I thought the same - don't like this, I can always quit! Well, that feeling passed pretty quickly and now that I am seeing results, I am grateful for my patience. I am not a quitting sort of person anyway so it is completely unlikely that I would have discontinued treatment, but when the going got tough...

3. I got my Invisalign on January 8, 2010. It was one of my New Year's resolutions. I have never followed through on a resolution before (didn't I just say I wasn't the quitting sort?! Hmm...) but that is only because I have never been in the habit of making resolutions! I have 7 lower (and I am on tray #7) and 12 upper. My lowers look great, but my upper snaggle tooth still has a ways to go.

4. My ortho made it clear from day one that refinements are a real possibility, so gratefully there have been no surprises there. However, at my last appointment (last week), he did tell me he thought I might have a round of refinements equal to my initial number of 7L/12U. My bite is great and my lowers really quite straight (could maybe use 1-2 more trays for perfection), so it will be interesting to see where this all heads! I am not finished on the uppers until the end of June, so it will be July before I know what will be in store for my first refinement.

I had braces as a teenager, so my teeth are, for the most part, quite straight to begin with. I, however, was unhappy with the movement that had happened in the interim, so here I am! Here's to taking care of ourselves, eh?!

[sukru13]

Wow, your treatment seems to go really fast. Are you on the express?

Did the gaps between your front teeth close up a bit already? How long did it take to see results for that?

Will you only wear uppers for the rest of your treatment? Isn't that even more weird feeling?

I am definitely not the giving up type either, which is why I knew I would be a good candidate for invisalign. I guess it just takes some time to get used to it. Tomorrow it will be a week.

I am always worried when I eat, brush my teeth or take the aligners in and out that I may loose more of the attachments, but hopefully after talking to the doctor, I will also feel a lot better about everything.

I figured if the aligners get too loose, I may just go to the office on the 22nd of April since I know they will be there and maybe they can put the attachments back in before my actual appointment on May 6th. That way I'd have at least 2 more weeks with the attachments.

I think when I was in the office to get them "installed" they were talking about giving me more trays next time around. Let's hope.

[Phantom Muse]

Sukru -

No, I am not on Express because I went over 10 trays on top and my ortho didn't really believe I'd get the best results without a series of refinements. I had braces as a teenager, so much of what I am doing now is just some cosmetic alignment. My bite is fine.

I still have the gap between the front teeth and have had it for awhile now. It has been more or less the same size for a few trays now. The tooth next to the front tooth needs to scoot over just a bit, and then the snaggle tooth can "back into" the space that was created. Then, I think the gap will close.

My ortho did say I need only wear my lower tray for 8 hours daily while I wait for the uppers to be done. I suspect I'll be more comfortable wearing both trays, though, so we'll see. I think I'll need another tray or two on the bottom, so it might be easier for me to keep the lower arch as retained as possible so I don't have to make up time during refinements.

If your ortho can see you sooner and it will help you feel more relaxed, by all means give them a call and make an appointment. Remember, the ortho is there to assist you as needed, and peace of mind for the patient matters!

Hopefully you can get more sets of tray when you next visit your ortho. I always have a little celebration at home when I change to a new set, as it marks tangible progress. Plus, I'd rather not have to go to the ortho's office too often...!