The Beginning

My appointment with my orthodontist was at 3:50 in the afternoon of Monday, May 14th 2012. I was so excited I could hardly breathe! I had been for my consultation and molds 4 weeks earlier. The consultation is when they take pictures of your teeth, from every angle, not a very pleasant viewing; the Ortho will make his estimation of price and length of treatment. The molds were slightly unpleasant, but nothing unbearable. The mold substance is very soft, and goes hard in your mouth within seconds, requiring the Ortho to basically yank them out, again slightly unpleasant. I’ve heard a lot of people say they felt like gagging due to the fact the molds go all the way to the back teeth, I luckily didn’t have this problem. The mold appointment took about 20 minutes, and the consultation takes 30-40 minutes, depending on how many questions you have!

I got about 11 attachments (sometimes called buttons) fitted, bottom and top. The attachments seem to be like gel they apply to your teeth in small dots, and then harden with a UV light. The taste isn’t delicious, but as long as you keep your tongue away it isn’t bad at all. The hardest part is keeping your mouth wide open for 20 minutes! They then scraped and picked off any access gel and filed down a few of my teeth so the trays would fit correctly. During this time, they periodically put smaller, thinner trays in your mouth that are prototypes of your Invisaligns, don’t be fooled they are not your actual trays! I was excited because they seemed so small and thin and bendable, and was disappointed when I found out they weren’t the real trays! Once the attachments are completed, I was fitted with the real trays; these immediately feel a lot heavier and tighter. Once clicked in, you must bite down (which hurts!) on small plastic tubes, this is to ensure correct fit. We practiced taking them in and out a couple of times (took me several minutes, and a lot of drool and tissue…) but I promise it gets faster each time!



First Trays!



The first night I couldn’t take them out, so I gargled with Listerine and drank a smoothie. The entire evening my tongue was fiddling with the trays, it acts like a territorial animal, wondering what has entered its domain! I couldn’t stop it! I spent ten minutes chewing on a “chewie”; small plastic tubes that supposedly help the trays stick to your teeth. The pain/pressure was intense, I had to take a few painkillers, just to dull the ache in the gums and jaw, but my ortho warned me about that. The most awkward part is just getting used to the feel of having plastic in your mouth which tastes and feels very strange.

I’m now on day three, Thursday May 17th, and most of the pain has gone away. One issue I have now is the plastic is scratching up my top lip, causing them to be quite sore. I filed down the plastic with an emery board, and it definitely helped. I think my lips just need to get used to them. I haven’t been able to eat much, the most painful part is definitely the gums, I’ve been eating soft foods for the past few evenings and lots of protein smoothies! I’m MUCH faster at taking them out and putting them in (still a little drool!) I’ve learnt you can’t be afraid to really pull (they won’t break, I don’t think, and contrary to how it feels, your teeth will stay in your head), also I find it works well if you unhook the back using your nails, and pull around to the front. I have been chewing my “chewies” for 10 minutes every day. So far I have been very vigilant in keeping the trays in, due to the fact that it is still quite painful, so if I leave them out for any longer than an hour the pain intensifies when I put them back on. It feels as though the teeth have shifted already!

I can definitely vouch for the Invisalign diet, I don’t snack anymore, and drink about 5 bottles of water a day, and because of the pain right now I haven’t been eating much. But I’m sure this will change as time goes on, as each day it is getting better and better! I have been brushing my invisaligns with my toothbrush, gently, then rinsing with cold water and they come up quite clean. It is very nice to be able to remove them, have a drink (of something other than water) and eat, clean my mouth out properly (brush and mouthwash!) and then put them back in. No one has noticed the braces unless I have shown them and they are impressed that they are so clear and can actually straighten my teeth! The only parts that are noticeable (I think) are the attachments, but again, nothing I have complained about compares with not having to deal with actual metal braces!






 



A picture of my boyfriend and I from Hawaii three years ago.
As you can see; my crooked teeth aren't very noticeable in pictures!