I have had my trays in for just eight weeks! Time is flying by, I can’t believe in just 6 months my bottom teeth will be done! I changed to Tray Five 5 days ago, which leaves me with 12 for the bottom and 19 for the top. Changing to new trays is much easier now; I just snap them in, no filing necessary. Immediately the pain is quite intense and stays that way for the first day or two, but nothing unbearable, just learn to deal with minimal food and lots of protein shakes! It is not so much painful the entire two days, but a very unpleasant constant pressure, like something is clamping on each tooth. I have found the longer you leave the trays out in the first couple of days, the harder and more painful it is to get them back in, it subsides very quickly though. Changing them on a Saturday night is perfect, if I toss and turn that night and can’t eat on Sunday it isn’t a big deal.
I have definitely become more relaxed about brushing after meals, I feel if I have a cookie or some tea then rinsing with water at my desk is fine (I know! It isn’t ok!) It is just extremely time consuming to run off to the bathroom every time you eat! Being a stickler for wearing them all day as long as possible makes me just want to get them back in as soon as I can! Yet somehow, embarrassingly, I have managed to leave the house twice after forgetting to put my trays back in, leaving them on the bathroom counter. The first time I was backing out of the garage, panicking I run back in and put them on, which was fine. But the second time I managed to get halfway to my destination before remembering I wasn’t wearing them (yes, this is how comfortable you get with them!) much to the amazement of my boyfriend. Unfortunately I spent that evening without them, putting them in as soon as I got home! I never imagined I would be comfortable with the attachments, as it feels like little pieces of uncooked rice stuck on your teeth, constantly distracting my tongue, but as well, I don’t even notice them now!
I have also become one of those Invisalign users who just pop the trays in and out wherever I am, much to the disgust of my coworkers and family. When I began this I vowed I would never be like that, make sure I do it privately so that no one would see me shove my fingers in my mouth and pull my ‘teeth’ out, drool and all, but after two months I’ve become that person!
I had a cleaning at my dentist about a month ago and I got the all clear, no cavities and my teeth and gums look great! I also got to watch my Clincheck (the short video which shows the movement and end result) which was very exciting!
I have found my teeth are extremely sensitive now, drinking cold beverages is hard and causes pain in my front teeth, I’ve just learnt to always have a straw handy! I’m also using sensitive toothpaste and Listerine to try and help. Again, another great benefit to Invisalign: No one has noticed that I am wearing them, and most of the time when I point it out, people had no idea and think that I’m just wearing a clear retainer! I definitely feel some movement, but it’s hard to notice in pictures and in person. Here are some recent pictures! (It’s Stampede time here in Calgary so ignore the plaid shirt)
