Ohhhhhhhhhh We're Halfway There!!!!

I'm halfway done with my Invisilign!!!  Today I switched to set 6 of 10.  Hopefully I won't need any refinements when I'm done with the 1o trays and this will be it.  

Something I've noticed with this tray and the last one is that it hasn't been fitting perfectly on one of my very back teeth.  After I wore the last tray for a few days it worked itself out so I'm guessing that this one will do the same thing.  I read online that it's a common thing and the fact that it's the very back molar makes it not as big of a deal as if it wasn't fitting correctly on a tooth more towards the front.  When I bite down on it or push on the tray on that tooth it feels normal again so I think it's just a matter of the tray material loosening up a little. 

I haven't noticed too much of a difference in my top teeth.  My over analyzing mind has even been telling myself that I feel like it's pushing one of my from teeth (the one with the power hinge) farther back in the wrong direction (crazy I know).  The reason why I'm thinking crazy things is because one of my front bottom teeth is hitting on the back of the front tooth and it hasn't in the past.  I'm sure every movement has a purpose...little by little.

I don't think my bite has changed much yet.  I have had a deep bite all my life...even after having regular braces.  Unless Invisalign works some sort of a miracle...I"m expecting that to always be the case.

 Here are some other pictures comparing my teeth before starting Invisalign and after I took out tray 5 tonight.

 

Almost halfway done already!!!

On the 29th I went in for another appointment at the orthodontist and got my next two sets of trays.  I am not on set 5 out of 10 and on May 13th I will officially be halfway done!  That is if I don't need any refinements after the 10 sets of trays.  Set 5 felt really tight right off the bat and I was expecting it to be sore for days to follow but surprisingly it wasn't.  

I was a little unsure of how my first top aligner (set #4) was fitting where the power hinge was on my one top upper tooth.  It wasn't going all the way up to my gums like it does on the other tooth.  I called the ortho and went in to get it checked.  They told me that when the power hinges are made, it is made normally and then crimped down to make the hinge punch out.  Once they explained that it made more sense.  I just wanted to get it checked because if it was hitting my toothe in the wrong spot it would effect the way it tilted my tooth...which wouldn't be good! haha

Having the top in felt really weird at first and it made me feel like people would notice it a lot more.  Now that I've had it in for several weeks it feels totally normal and not as cumbersome as it did at first.  It just took a little more getting used to than the bottom did because I was used to having it on the bottom because my retainer that I had pre-invisalign was basically the same.

I didn't take pictures this time because things look basically the same...tiny movements at a time make it so that you don't notice it every new aligner.  I'll take pictures after this aligner or the next (#6)

I started with the bottom now I'm here!!! Number Fourrrrr

I just got done eating dinner and went in for my post dinner brush which has become as routine as breathing (ok maybe not quite that routine) but the difference this time is that I started wearing the top aligner!!!  For the first three sets of aligners the top was a "passive aligner" which means it didn't do any moving of my top teeth which resulted in me not having to wear it.  I guess when Invisalign makes the aligners they automatically make the set whether you need both or not.  I don't know why but I always get nervous before I put a next set of aligners...maybe it's nervous excitement! haha

Wearing the top is certainly going to take some getting used to but I'm sure it will become second nature just like the bottom did.  For the most part I don't think it's that noticeable from a distance.  With the bottom I never had anyone ask what was in my mouth or anything.  That's not saying that people didn't notice...they just didn't mention it.  I think more people will notice with it being on the top now too because of the buttons/attachments on my canine teeth and it making my teeth look shiny.

I finally know the real name of what I have been calling the "built in buttons".  On two of my bottom teeth and now two of my upper teeth there are these built in things that push on my teeth.  They are called "power hinges".  What they do is fix teeth that are tilted inward.  The power hinge holds the top of the tooth in place while the shape of the aligner pushes the bottom portion of the tooth out into the correct position.  I have one of the power hinges on one of my front upper teeth which I think makes it more noticeable but I would rather have a power hinge than a cement button/attachment.  The arrows in the picture below are pointing to the power hinges.  

Well...here's to having sore teeth on the top and bottom for the next few days! :)

 

Tray 3 & Upper Attachment Nuisance Round 2!

I went today for my first appointment since starting Invisalign.  I was told that these kinds of appointments would be quick being that they are just to check that things are going/moving as planned and to get the next couple sets of aligners.  

I heard one of the girls tell another "We took the top attachments off remember?"  I just thought...."Ya you did because you messed up last time!"  The girl then told me that they were going to be doing the top attachments today.   I immediately thought "Here we go again." when she said that being that on my first visit to get started they put attachments on the top when I didn't need them yet (see previous posts for that mess).  So...I asked, "When will my upper teeth actually start moving?"  I was told that they would start moving with the new (#3) set of aligners.  I still didn't think that was right because I remember being told when I went in for my ClinCheck that the first THREE set of aligners would move the bottom only and I would only need to wear the bottom because the top aligners for the first 3 sets were "passive" and it said so in the bag they came in.  Thinking that I must be wrong (which I rarely am...hehe) I let he continue with putting the attachment cement/material on my teeth.  As the material was setting I heard the girl behind me looking at the aligner bags for what seemed like a long time.  She then got up and left...hummm?!?!?!  The doctor was in the room beside me (which they're all open with no actual doors) and I heard the girl talking to her and she said the word "passive".  Immediately I thought..."I KNEW IT!!!".  The girl came back and continued messing around with the aligner bags behind my head for about another 5 minutes.  She then did her thing with forming the attachments to the correct shape.  After she was done I asked, "Is this aligner another passive one?"  She told me again that it wasn't and that my teeth were going to start moving with this one.  She finished up and left and then another girl came in to give me the new set of aligners.  She opened the bag and held it out to me so that I could take out the aligners.  I put them in and then looked at the bag, which said....PASSIVE ALIGNER.  I asked this other girl about it and she didn't know the situation so she didn't know what was going on.  When it comes down to it...at least the top attachments are on so I won't have to go back in 2 weeks just for that BUT...come on!!!  Messing it up once is understandable...but TWICE?!?!  I do like my orthodontist but sometimes I wonder where people's heads are at...haha!

 

I was worried about the attachments on top being noticeable but they're not as bad as I thought.  I have 4 attachments on each side...one on each of my canine teeth, 2 on the next tooth on my right side, and 1 on the tooth after that on the right side, 1 on the tooth after my canine on the left, and 2 on the tooth after that on the left.  I had put one of the passive aligners in on top before just to see how it felt and was worried because it felt very bulky compared to having just the bottom.  Now that I have the attachments it obviously fits a lot tighter and is less bothersome.  Also, that is with it being an aligner that doesn't do anything.  One that actually moves my teeth will be even tighter than the passive one.  

 

I have started to notice small changes so far.  I still feel like my bight is constantly changing which makes sense being that my bottom teeth have been moving and my top haven't.  I'm sure once my top teeth start being moved with the next aligner things will start matching up again.  I've noticed that when I bite down that the bottom tooth that was my main concern/the one sticking out the most isn't touching the back of the top tooth that is over it.  That definitely tells me that it has started to be pushed back into place.

Bring on Tray #2

It seems like I had tray 1 in for forever but today after school and dinner I put in tray 2 of 10 on the bottom.  I was expecting it to be hard to put in but it wasn't at all.  I've read about people really struggling to get it in and even having to bite down on a towel to pop it into place.  Maybe later on it will be more difficult but it wasn't at all this time.

My old aligner (aligner #1) is now resting in the red case.  The red case is for the previous tray as a fall back in case I would happen to lose or break the current tray I am in.  

I can tell that this tray is pushing in new places but it isn't causing pain yet.  I'm sure it will be like last time and I won't feel pain until the second full day in the new tray.  I'm not going to post a new picture of my teeth yet because you can't see any changes yet.  I can feel them...but not see them.

I go back to the orthodontist in two weeks for my monthly check up and to get the next set of trays.

Boring

So...I've had tray 1 in for 5 days now (got it on Tuesday March 4th) and I think all movement with this tray is done.  I felt "pain" on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mostly and it was gone by Saturday.  When I say "pain" I mean that I didn't bother eating my usual daily snack of raw carrots.  When eating/chewing other things I felt a little funny with how I had to chew them to make it not "hurt".  I keep putting "pain" and "hurt" in quotation marks because it wasn't that bad.  I'm sure once I get further into treatment I will feel it more.  

Me being the impatient person that I am, I'm already wanting to put in tray 2 but I know I can't.  I kinda like the "pain" because I know then that my teeth are moving.

I have noticed that my bite is off.  Granted it was off here and there before Invisalign.  Before Invisalign there were days that my teeth/molars would only touch on one side.  Right now since I only have Invisalign on the bottom, my top teeth hit the buttons which is altering my bite as well.

Overall...I can deal with 3ish days of "pain" with each new tray.  I can deal with the constant brushing, flossing, and rinsing.  For an impatient person the worst part is waiting for each new tray and then end...haha
 

One day down...153 to go!!!

First day at school with Invisalign :)

Tray 1

Buttons: 3 on the left and 3 on the right
(a little easier to see in black & white)

The first full day wasn't so bad.  I have started to feel it more than I did yesterday.  One side is a little more sore than the other.  People who knew I was getting Invisalign at school would ask to see it today when they first saw me and when I stuck my bottom teeth out many of then said, "You can't even tell." or "Oh yea I see now that I'm up close."  I think it will be more noticeable once I have it on the top too...but certainly not at noticeable as it would be if I had regular braces!

Having to brush after every meal is a pain but not that bad.  I'd much rather do it and have super clean teeth than not do it and have who knows what happen.  It works out that if I do eat my usual snack of fruit and veggies that I can just do it during my planning time and brush while the kids are still at essentials.  

The only "con" of today is that around the bottom edge of the aligner on the inside...it is rubbing my tongue.  It feels like the edge is rough where it was cut or something.  I have read things about people using a nail file to smooth it out.  I'm going to give it another day to see if I get used to it before I give that a try.  

I am stocked up and ready for brushing on the go!  I got 2 collapsible toothbrushes...one to keep at school and one to take with my in my purse.  The little tubes of tooth paste are so I don't have to carry around a big one all the time.  Same thing with the little bottles of mouthwash.  I have one big bottle at home that I will use to refill the little ones when needed.  The box in the back are these cool little cases for the flossers.  I didn't know they existed but they will definitely help by making it so I don't have to carry around the whole bag all the time. 

Here We Go! Tray 1 Day 1

Well...it has begun!  I went in for my appointment at 4 to get the buttons put on my bottom teeth and to get my first set of aligners.  When the put the thing in my mouth to open my mouth up I was very confused when they started putting the cement on my top teeth.  After the ortho's hand was clear from my mouth...as best I could I said, "I thought I was only going to get it for the bottom teeth today?"  After much talking back and forth with another girl they said that the first three aligners for my top teeth wouldn't do any moving but they were sent by Invisalign anyway.  After all the going back and forth and one of them saying "Should we ask the doctor?" they just went ahead with it.  

Making the buttons- I thought that the buttons would be actual little things they cement onto my teeth but it wasn't.  What they do is they put some cement (or whatever it's made out of) in the general area on the teeth needing the buttons and then they put on an aligner with the slots where the buttons will go.  They then press it on so that the cement goes into the slots which shapes the button the appropriate way.  There is a series of spraying, sucking, blue light stuff that happens but I forget the order.  After leaving the aligner on for a few minutes, they pop it off (with some applied force) and the buttons are done.  

They did the buttons for the top and bottom but two of them on the bottom wouldn't stay on so they had the doctor come.  Then the talk about it only being on my bottom teeth began again.  The doctor said, "Yes because the first 3 aligners for the top are ones that don't move the teeth but they make them together so they sent them anyway."  When she realized they did the buttons for the top teeth she said, "You didn't think to ask me before?"  All of this was annoying but whatever...she told me that they could take them off if i wanted after I felt what they were like.

The doctor did the two buttons that kept popping off and then got rid of the excess cement (I think) and then she went on her way after talking a little more.  The girl who had done all the buttons came back, gave me my next set of aligners and cases, and explained them.  She began to take the bib off of me before I asked about making it so I only had to wear the top.  She then proceeded to help a mirror while I tool the top aligner out.  She clearly didn't realize I meant that I wanted the buttons gone too. Clearly the last thing they wanted to do was to take them off and then put them back on in a few weeks.  BUT...me being me...sorry...I don't want to wear an aligner that's not going to do anything and I don't want little things stuck on my teeth just for the sake of being there.  Had I not mentioned anything I would understand them leaving them there.  It was the fact that I brought it up right when everything got started and they didn't listen to me.  It was a misunderstanding and was the only real hiccup of the process but all is good now.

As far as how things are going...so far so good.  They're not that hard to take out.  I think I'm still doing to very gently for a fear of breaking something.  But it's certainly not as hard as people have made it seem.  I didn't feel any pressure at first but now I am starting to...still very very little.  It might be more in the morning when I wake up but it's all part of having a perfect smile. :)  My speech isn't affected too much.  I feel like I'm saying the /s/ sound a tiny bit different but nothing too drastic.  That will go away in a day or two.

Pros
-not as bad as people made it seem
-buttons aren't as big as I thought they would be
-my teeth will be super clean from constantly brushing (haha)

Cons
-ortho not listening to me! (haha)
-spit bubbles inside the aligner

Last pictures before Invisalign

Kindergarten Friendly Explaination

So...I teach kindergarten and in an attempt to get one of my students to make it so I don't have to talk to him a lot in the future due to him not following directions...I explained Invisalign to them.  I told them what it was going to be like and how my teeth will hurt on some days.  I also told them that it will make me feel better if they are extra good and I don't have to talk to them a lot about following directions.  Kindergartners are so cute in how they always want to please you.  We will see if this actually works!

Tomorrow is the day!!!

Before Picture

Not the best picture...pushing out my bottom jaw a little...anyway.  Here is a before shot of my teeth.  You can see the bottom tooth that is the most crooked as a result of the "permanent" retainer breaking many years ago and my now gone wisdom teeth causing crowding.  The top tooth above that one is sticking out a little because of the bottom tooth constantly pushing it that way.  There are some other things out of place obviously but those are the major ones. 

Excited to Get Started... is an Understatement

After years of thinking about it and a year of actually looking into it...I'm very excited that I will be getting my first set of aligners on Tuesday.  I am a typical case of...I had braces when I was in middle school, didn't wear my retainers like I was supposed to, and not I'm paying for it.  Well...in my defense I had a permanent retainer on my bottom teeth that broke twice and wisdom teeth that played a role in crowding my bottom teeth.  

Finding the right orthodontist was key for me in regards to time it would take, type of treatment, and cost.  In the beginning of my research I was thinking about doing Invisalign on my top teeth and regular braces on the bottom teeth.  Although having metal braces was the last thing I wanted at 25, my insurance would cover a portion of the regular braces part.  I found a place that quoted me $4,500 for the Invisalign/regular braces combination.  They gave me a time frame of 9 months to a year.  At first I thought that insurance would cover more than they actually would.  When I learned that insurance would only cover $305 I decided that I would rather pay that extra money and not have to deal with metal in my mouth.  So...the search continued.  I went to another ortho and was given a CRAZY price somewhere in the $8,000 range.  The reason being (I think) is because they were going to charge the full amount for Invisalign and the full amount for regular braces even though I was only getting half of each one.  On top of that, they told me that I would need to be in them for a year to a year and a half.  Needless to say...I eliminated that ortho really fast.  FINALLY...the third time was the charm.  I went to My Dental Care Center and I knew I found the right place.  The staff was very nice and helpful and was willing to work with my regarding price.  They told me it can cost from $5,600 to in the $3,000 range and being that my teeth aren't that crooked they can take $1,500 off for "chair time" since I won't be in the office a lot getting worked on.  This took my price down to $4,100...which was already cheaper than any of the other places.  Then...to make things even better...they said that if I was willing to pay in full they would give me an additional 5% off.  After all was said and done my total was $3,850.  Cheaper than all other places and there also weren't any charges for records which wasn't the cast at the other places.  They also told me that it would take approximately 9 months.  I loved My Dental Care Center so much that I paid for it at my first visit, got my x-rays/molds, and photos taken right then and there.

1 Week Later- I went back to see the images that Invisalign sent back of how my teeth would move over the course of my treatment.  I was extremely pleased with what I saw and was ECSTATIC when I was told that if all goes well...it will only take 5 months!!!  There is a chance that things will not move exactly as planned which might require a "phase 2" but it will be free of charge and should only add on 2 more months or so.  Even with 2 more months added on...I'm still happy it's not the year to a year and a half I was told previously.  

On Tuesday I go to get the "buttons" on my bottom teeth and my first set of aligners.  I only have to wear aligners on my bottom teeth for the first 6 weeks (I think) because my top teeth do not need to be moved as much as my bottom.  

I am so excited!  (I might not be saying that Tuesday night)  I have been doing a lot of research, reading about other people's experiences (the good and the bad), and just want to get going.  No matter how much of a pain it is to take the aligners out to eat, how uncomfortable it is with new aligners in...I know it's all going to be worth it in the end because what I have contemplated for almost 3 years will finally be complete.