Setback

I had an appointment on Thursday, February 6th. It was supposed to be my final appointment, Dr. Sharma just wanted to check and make sure my retainers were doing their job and keeping all my teeth in line. But he told me that two of my front teeth were shifting back into their old spots. Very minor movement, but enough to warrant some action. He has ordered me a new set of trays (they will be the same as my final set of Invisalign trays so I didn't need new molds). I am currently just wearing my retainers at night as they are too big and bulky to wear during the day (and I'd rather not spit all over my coworkers..) while I wait for my new trays to come in. I am a little disappointed at this setback but I am also glad we are doing something about it right now before my teeth get 'worse'. Personally, I can't even see the movement, but I trust Dr. Sharma! My new trays should arrive in the next few days and I will go back to see Dr. Sharma and make sure they fit properly. I will keep you posted!

After

I had my appointment on November 27th to file down my front tooth and add filler to the chip. They look fantastic. I received my retainers and I have been wearing them for almost two months now. They are very comfortable to sleep in but I can't wear them other than at night because they are so thick (they tend to make me spit or drool, yuck!). My teeth had shifted slightly in the first few weeks so I have another appointment on January 28th to make sure they have been pushed back into place (which I think they have). I believe this will be my final appointment for my Invisalign treatment, I am very excited for that, only one year and 8 months to have perfect teeth! I have noticed I don't grind my teeth as much anymore but that may be due to the retainers acting as a barrier for my clenched jaw. I can't resist taking selfies nowadays!

My fiancee and I finally had some engagement pictures done, because I feel so much more confident when I smile. I even had someone compliment me on my straight teeth the other day!! That was definitely a first!

FINISHED!!

FINALLY DONE! I had my appointment yesterday and Dr. Sharma said my teeth are looking fantastic, and if I’m happy (which I obviously am) then we are all done!!! Best appointment ever! I got all my attachments taken off, which feels AMAZING and I got fitted for my retainers which I should receive in the next day or two. To remove the attachments they have to use a small grinding tool (that’s what it looks like anyways) and spray it with LOTS of water, it is very quick and completely painless, just loud and I got sprayed in the face a few times. The paste they use for the retainer mold is similar to the Invisalign mold, it was slightly uncomfortable, but I didn’t gag, it has no flavor and it only sits in your mouth for a minute or so. I was told the retainers are almost the same as the Invisalign trays, just slightly thicker (more ‘heavy duty’). I have to wear them every day as much as possible for the first 3 months, to set my teeth. After three months I can move to night wear only. She mentioned that eventually, after a year or so, I won’t need to wear them at all, but because I grind my teeth at night she said I can wear them instead of a night mouth guard to protect my teeth from wearing down.




Gotta love taking selfies now!! :)







 

Next Wednesday (the 27th) I have a 7:30am appointment to grind down one of my front teeth so it can be the same length as the other one, and to fill a small chip in the other front tooth. I won’t be getting my teeth professionally whitened, as I don’t think they need it, but I will whiten them at home with just a Crest WhiteStrip Kit. I will be getting the “After” photos done at that appointment. Once the clinic has those picture they will send me some of my “Before” pictures, and the “After” pictures so I will have a really good comparison. I’m most excited for that part!





 

Tray Eight

I had a very exciting day regarding my Invisalign treatment yesterday! I had my appointment with Dr. Sharma and he said my teeth are looking excellent! He took all the attachments off of the top teeth and I can’t believe how good they look! He took the attachments off using a small grinding tool, while spraying with water; it was very quick and easy. He then flossed them and polished them! The bottom teeth will keep the attachments until the next appointment. My next two trays were cut down so only the front teeth are being covered. This is to let my back teeth ‘drop’ and settle in to position without moving my front teeth. The trays feel really odd (and look very silly) but I’ve already gotten used to them. I have two sets, so I will be changing them every two weeks until my next appointment on November 19th. At the November 19th appointment we will decide if my teeth are complete or if I will need more refinements.

The weird 'half trays'!



My fiancee took me to DisneyWorld in Florida for my 25th birthday! I don't mind selfies now!!



Tray Five

I had an appointment with Dr. Sharma last week, on September 11th; as I had finished the four trays he had originally given me. He was a little disappointed with me because I hadn’t been wearing my trays the recommended 22 hours a day (more like 8, only while I slept, woops!) but I told him that it’s hard to keep wearing them and I’m a little discouraged that it isn’t going faster. He told me if I promise to wear them 22 hours a day (or close enough) I can shorten each time I wear the trays by 4 days. Therefore I am currently changing the trays every 10 days instead of 14. I had to wear tray 4 for another 10 days because my teeth hadn’t quite moved and settled into the correct position.

I just changed into tray 5 yesterday (yes a day early, but I was sick of wearing tray 4!) and I have been vigilant about wearing them for as long as I can all day, every day. Dr. Sharma told me if I continue to change every ten days, and wear them for 22 hours a day then I may be done by October 22nd!! This means I should only need another 4 trays!! I am SO excited about the prospect of this. I explained that I wanted to do engagement photos with my fiancée but was planning on waiting until my trays were done, he said hopefully (if I do as I’m told) then I can be done much sooner than originally planned, get my attachments removed, my teeth filed and filled if necessary!! I’m definitely being very good about wearing them now!! I had another hygienist appointment yesterday and she explained my teeth are still doing very good; no cavities and my gums are nice and healthy. It has now been one year and four months since I started this journey and I am right on track to be done in the year and half that I was quoted. Fingers crossed!!