Tray 11 Update

 HOW'S IT GOING?

Well, I haven’t posted in a bit, because to be frank, there wasn’t much to say. Once I figured out how to manage the occasional discomfort or poking edge, the aligners just became incorporated into my lifestyle and weren’t much thought about. So, that’s really a testimony to how amazing these little devices are.

A couple of tips to share for this post that I think will help you manage your care.

KEEP YOUR INVISILIGN BAGGIES:

Okay, so I HATE those stupid bulky tray containers they give you when you get your set. They are inconvenient to carry in my little purse and to ensure that I always have somewhere to deposit my trays when I need to. For men I can imagine it is even worse. Those dang things are way too big to stick in your back pocket. UGH! Personally, I don’t like wrapping my trays in a napkin or heaven forbid just put them on my desk or a table when at work! YUCK!

 Anyway, what I started doing was keeping those little bags with me. They are small and easy to carry with no mess or hassle. They fit well into a wallet or small pocket. I keep one in my purse, one in my desk at work, and one in my car. Now, no matter where I am, I have a place to put my trays. What I like about these bags is the size. I suppose you can use a snack size zipper bag, but these are way smaller and more heavy duty – plus they are included in your system.

The one I keep in my purse is the most recent bag. At the end of the set, rather than putting the aligners into the “red” container, I just put them back into the bag. Then when it’s time to rotate, I toss the aligners in the bags (unless I need a new bag). Anyway, I hope that helps.

RETAINER BRIGHT:
I’m a diet Coke and tea drinker. And as I’m sure you can imagine, these two little devils stain the trays. I use denture cleaner to take the stink out of the trays that comes from normal wear and use. But those wonderful little fizzy tablets do little to take away the brown that filters into the clear trays.

Jen at my dentist office turned me onto “Retainer Bright”. They are tablets similar to denture tablets you get at the store but they are designed to take out stains from the plastic on dental appliances. They work wonders. You can purchase a three month supply on Amazon for about $12, which I will be doing today! It’s well worth the investment to keep my trays and teeth looking sparkling.

MY PROGRESS:
My progress continues to be slow, but there is progress. At the moment I am on tray 11 of about 40. So, I’m about 25% done.

Here’s the latest images. 

Now, if you didn’t know what to look for you may not see much. But I do see a big improvement. My smile is changing as is my bite. First, I notice that the upper arch is widening, my bite is opening up and not as deep and some of my lower teeth are coming into the arch. The last time I was at the dentist he looked at the digital model to check my progress. He commented that the straightening won’t happen for me until later in the process because we are focusing on widening the arches.

 On interesting side effect that I noticed of all this movement is that none of my teeth align well enough to eat chewy foods. Even tortillas and tough breads present a problem. Thankfully it’s not bad enough to put me off anything - just something that I noticed and thought I would mention. As I stated in my last post my mantra is that ortho work is not intended to be a quick fix. It's a process and even baby steps are still steps in the right direction.

I’ll post again as things update and change.

Cori

Week 7 – Things Are Moving Along (Tray 4)

HOW'S IT GOING?

So, the experience thus far has been easy enough. I went in for my first cleaning since having the aligners and the mouth full of attachments. My hygienist was amazing (but so is everyone in my dentist’s office). She had no issues working around the attachments and even polished my teeth without any damage to the attachment. Everything feels nice and clean now.

WEEK 7

 She also explained that the bonder they use is really strong and very unlikely to break. That the dentist will use a special diamond bit to remove the attachment when the time comes and there will be no damage to the tooth enamel. I found reassuring because I find I often worry that I will break them when I remove my aligners because I have to apply a fair amount of force. So all in all, it’s moving right along on schedule.

DISCOMFORT UPDATE:
I feel well acclimated to the aligners at the moment. I suspect that the week I had the attachments put on may prove to be the worst of my journey. Beyond an occasional poking or hot spot that I have to fix with my special kit, it’s really not bad. And compared to the discomfort my teenage son is experiencing with his traditional braces, I am not complaining. My worst issue with my last set was that my lower aligner dug into my gum at the back of my mouth. It took a few attempts of filing at the spot to get it to a comfortable level. I found that my regular nail file wasn’t precise enough to get it where I needed it to be. I ended up pulling out my electric nail file (which is really battery powered) and that did the trick in a jiffy. I think it cost me about $25 and I got it from Sally Beauty Supply when I got it last year. Now I’m thinking it has well paid for itself to rescue me with my aligners.

MY PROGRESS:

So far the progress is slow. I don’t see a huge difference yet. And no, my teeth have not yellowed. It’s just bad lighting when I took the picture. I think the most significant change that I observed is that my upper/lower midlines are starting to center. When I started my lower midline was off to the left. It seems to be closer to center. It’s not “there” yet, but I do notice it on the move.

Again, as I stated last time (and this will probably be my mantra) ortho work is not intended to be a quick fix. It's a process and even baby steps are still steps in the right direction.

MINI INVESTIGATION FOLLOW UP:
As you may recall from last time, I noticed a considerable difference between tray 2 and tray 3 upper arch aligners. The set 3 trays seem to be several millimeters wider than the previous aligners. I took some measurement to see what I could determine (see below for tray 2-3 comparison).

I ended up taking some measurements and noticed that the difference was about 4 millimeters. My husband thought that maybe the difference as because the trays mold themselves to the shape of my mouth over the course, which I thought to be fair question. The only way to know for sure was to take measurements and compare.

Here’s what I found. It does not appear that the trays change significantly. This is especially noticeable when looking at the comparison between my tray 3 and tray 4. There does not appear to be any significantly measurable difference between the arches on the new aligners. So, that lets me think the aligners held position, especially considering that the new one doesn’t grab my cheek the way tray 3 did when I first put it on.

INVISILINE REGISTRY:

As you will recall I noticed that Invisalign has a registry for your aligners. I wanted to check that out. I ended up going through the process and checking things out. What I discovered is that the registry is in BETA right now. It doesn’t seem to have any significant features that make me want to go back. The most it offers is a calendar where you can set reminders to be texted to your phone. So, if you wanted to set a reminder to change your tray you could do that – or whatever for that matter. You could probably use it for anything you wanted to.

Other than that there doesn’t appear to be anything of value. Sure you can upload your profile pic and change it as your progress, but it’s just as easy to do that on FB or Instagram (easier). I’m not sure I need another place to slap up my image simply for the sake of putting it out there. So, that’s my 2 cents on the registry tool.

COMING UP:
This go-round I got three sets of trays (#’s 4-6) so I won’t be due to go back to the dentist for 6 weeks. At that point I will be twelve weeks into this and I am hoping to see some more dramatic changes. But initially looking at the differences between trays 2 and 6 it’s hard to say that HUGE movement is taking place. And considering that I will only be on tray 6 out of 37, I suppose I shouldn’t expect miracles. Mantra: Ortho work is not a quick fix…. Ortho work is not a quick fix….. Everything in its own time.

Week 5 - Tray Set 3 & Progress Update

HOW'S IT GOING?
Week four was a piece of cake. As soon as my teeth settled down and stopped aching, with the exception of a few hot spots that required the use of my kit, I didn't have any problems. This gives me hope that the whole process won't be too horrible. Every other week might be tough, but at least it won't be every day. Here's the latest image of my smile.

DISCOMFORT UPDATE:
I noted last post that my 19 attachments seemed to multiply my pain level and made my aligners nearly impossible to remove. However, I noticed that by the second week of the tray set, the aligners were significantly more manageable to remove. Don't get me wrong. They are still stubborn, but they are manageable. Top tray is the worst, but I suppose that is because the majority of my attachments are on the upper arch.

It seems like it has been a long time coming to get to this point. I'm changing to my third set of trays tonight. As I noted last time, I was hurting pretty badly after wearing my trays for a few hours. The second day I wanted to crawl in a hole and never come out. I am delaying using the new trays until after dinner so see if I can minimize some of that pain by sleeping through it. Hopefully that will do the trick. And I will let you know how that worked out.

MY PROGRESS:
Now for what you really want to know - how much progress am I seeing in my smile and bite. Well, you be the judge. Here's the progress thus far.

Admittedly, these images look identical and probably appear discouraging, but I have noticed some changes. My lower teeth that are rotating out of the arch appear to have made some movement. And my bite is definitely different. Obviously this is something that the camera will not show.

Yes, it's a small movement, but essentially it's been only a month. So, keep in mind that ortho work is not intended to be a quick fix. It's a process and even baby steps are still steps in the right direction. With my son's braces I didn't notice a change in his look until about the third month. So, I will postpone judgement until then.


NEW THIS WEEK - MINI INVESTIGATION:
I noticed with my new set 3 trays, there is an noticeable difference between the upper arch aligners. The set 3 trays seem to be several millimeters wider than the previous aligners. I tried on the trays this morning to ensure that they went in and noticed that the difference was significant enough to pinch my cheek when the aligners were installed. But they went in.

I am pointing this out because if you've read my back story, you will recall that I have an unusually small upper arch and have concerns about how Invisalign will work with the palatal expansion I need. Of course I do not expect miracles, I am just observant of anything that might suggest arch correction.

My husband brought up a point. He suggested that the trays may conform to my teeth over the next two weeks rather than the other way around. So, this observations may be nothing more than that - an observation. He got me wondering, so I think it's worth investigating.

At the end of the 2 week cycle, I will again compare the two trays and see if the difference is still noticed or if the trays seem to have changed. As soon as I locate my ruler, I will take measurements and post them for a better way to quantify the difference in the aligners and the width of the week 3 set.

Since my set 1 trays were tossed last week in the dental office, I will be using my set 2 trays for points of comparison between trays as I progress. This will also help gauge how effective and fast the aligners are in movement and provide a visual for points of reference.

COMING UP:
Next week I go in for my first cleaning since having the aligners and attachments. I am curious how the attachments will work out for the hygienist. According to the Invisalign site, the product that makes the speed bumps on my teeth will be removed using a polishing tool that is used during cleaning. So I imagine that I won't be having my teeth polished, but we'll see.

Also, I noticed on the bags the aligners come in that there is an Invisalign registry. I will be registering my aligners on their site and let you know if it unlocks any features that might prove useful.

Week 3 - Get Your Pain Killers Ready

Okay, so when I wrote the post on attachments I only had my trays in for a few hours - not enough time to really know how I was going to feel. I have decided (purely in my own mind nothing scientific) that 19 attachments means multiplying the new tray pain by 19. My whole head and face hurt and I could hardly bare to chew anything harder than applesauce. By dinner time my new trays had triggered a migraine and I ended up taking some serious pain killers in hopes of sleeping it off.

The good news is that by morning, I felt 10 times better and was able to cope through the rest of the pain without anything stronger than OTC meds. Now, 4 days later, my teeth still ache and a couple actually hurt. Plus, I have taken again to using my home repair kit to fix some hot spots and doctor some mouth injuries. Wax and I know each other on a first name basis now.

I also find that they trays remain difficult to remove. I actually dread taking them out. And a couple of times I actually ate with my aligners in just because I couldn't bare to put myself through taking them out. I also find that I am very deliberate about what and when I eat right now (that could end up being a good thing, who knows?). Thankfully, putting the trays in isn't an issue. This whole experience has given me new empathy for my son with his contacts.

This leads me to a singular conclusion - on new tray days I will wait to put my new trays in until after dinner and take precautionary OTC pain medicine to help buffer the discomfort. It is my hope that I will sleep through most of the discomfort and wake up in the morning able to cope with the pressure. Hopefully that will work....

Week 3 - Attachments and New Trays

Today was the big day – my first follow up appointment which means I got my attachments.

Originally the ladies in the office estimated that the visit would take about 30 minutes. Ummm…. not so much – closer to 2 hours! I entered at 9, left at quarter to 11. So, ya. a bit longer than expected.

What are attachments?

The purpose of the attachments as was explained to me is that some teeth are more difficult to move than others. Attachments allow the aligner to apply extra pressure to the teeth and force the root to move into a new position in the arch. The Invisalign website offers some additional info about the purpose of attachments. But essentially, that’s the reason.

 How do they put them on?

I knew I was going in to get “composite” today. Admittedly I had no clue what that really meant. For whatever reason, I made up in my head that the dentist was going to apply some bumps or ridges to my trays and file a few things then pat me on my head and send me on my way. I couldn’t have been more mistaken.

As I said, I spent nearly 2 hours in the chair with the Jennifer the RDA who is worth her weight in gold. Whatever she is paid isn’t enough since she has to put up with me. Jennifer applied little tooth-colored cement bumps to the front side of my teeth. This is what they refer to as “attachments”. 

Seriously, the attachments remind me of little thorns sticking off my teeth. The feel funny but don’t hurt. They are challenging to see unless you are looking for them. The camera does not capture the images too well – which in reality is a good thing. But you will get the point. Plus, I have a lot more than what are visible in these images.

The reason my appointment took nearly 2 hours was that I ended up with 19 attachments! Jennifer said that this was the most she had applied on a single patient. Yikes!

 

Now, that doesn’t mean I have attachments on 19 teeth. Actually, some teeth have two attachments, others just one. Thankfully, I do not have any on my two front teeth. Likewise, I am thankful that the bonding material was a close match to my teeth color. Ifs the color did not match, then the attachments would be more visible.

I won’t lie to you. The installing of the attachments isn’t very fun. The chemicals that are used taste bitter. And if you have sensitive teeth or any gum erosion like me, at time it zings your nerves. 

But this is where a really good RDA comes in handy. Jennifer was incredibly patient with me and took my constant moaning about everything. Her willingness to go at a pace I could handle was probably the main reason that my appointment took so long. Had she pushed or been more assertive with me, I would have been miserable. Thankfully that did not happen. And there is a bright point. While it isn't pleasent, it's not so bad as to require the use of needles.

Now, for some good news. Generally speaking, this part of the process is a one-time deal. They may need to adjust individual attachments along the way, but as long as everything goes according to plan, I won’t need to go through this again. This is not something I would want to endure every couple of weeks.

There is one minor caveat, should we decide any refinement needs to be done after the process is complete, then attachments may need to be done again, but to what degree would depend on what needs to be refined.

Also, I want to point out that if one of the attachments falls off, that means that I will need to call in right away to get a new one put on. Why? Because a missing attachment means the aligner won't be able to do its job. Hopefully that won't happen, but I felt it was worth the mention.

How do the new trays fit?

Okay, so now you are undoubtedly wondering how this changes the fit, look, and feel of the trays. In my opinion, the trays are slightly more noticeable because they are not as smooth as before. The trays now have protrusions which are there to accommodate the attachments making the trays more noticeable. As you can tell from the image, the difference is minor. 

The other thing to point out is that with the new attachments the trays are incredibly more difficult to get out. They are much tighter than before. I find that I really need to be comfortable applying some force to the trays to remove them. I am also guessing that the more attachments in your mouth, the tighter the trays. But that's just my guess. 

I am told that the aligners will loosen up after a few days - which I know does happen based on the last two weeks. However, I suspect that each new set of trays will likely be a similar experience of tight then eventually looser. It’s just part of the process. 

At the moment, I doubt that I could remove the aligners without looking in the mirror, if that give you any indication of how challenging they are right now. So, I will need to make allowances when at work or in public.

My progress so far...

My progress so far is shown below. I certainly have a long way to go, but the images do show some movement in the teeth, which is encouraging.

What's next?

As for what happens now – well, I was given 2 sets of trays – my new set and my next. I will wear these for 2 weeks and the next for two weeks again. That means I follow up with the dentist in a month. 

From that point, I should only need to visit the dentist after 3 or 4 sets of aligners (aka 6-8 weeks). I am told my appointment times will average about 15 minutes unless there are adjustments that need to be made to the attachments or the aligner trays.

I also verified how many sets of tray I have. I have 35 sets to go. At 2 weeks per set, that means about 70 weeks of treatment until completion. Of course this assumes that all my teeth cooperate and that there are no hiccups along the way. If that;s the case, then I should finish by September 2015.

In addition to the 35 sets, I have the possibility of needing/wanting to refine my smile. This means that if something isn't quite to my or my dentist's liking, then I have 5 sets of refinement trays that will allow us to polish the smile to perfection. But these are optional.

All in all, it sounds pretty great to me! In the mean time, I will keep you posted on my progress.

Week 2 - Progress and Affording Your New Smile

Week 2 Progress

Well, it seems the second week is off to a good start. The pressure in my trays is less. I still notice that my trays get tight again after removing them for even a short time. My lower tray slips of easily, but when I put them back on the teeth feel the more pressure than with my upper tray. On the upper tray I really have to force them off now. They were much easier to insert last week. However, once in I don't notice much difference in pressure, especially compared to the lower.

I no longer need to use my Home Kit (aka Wax, Orajel, and nail file) to treat my mouth sores. So, that's a relief. And the stink issue I noticed towards the end of the first week seems to have been resolved by dunking the trays in denture cleaner during dinner. YAY!

So, I think that I'm settling into the journey easily enough. I just not that pumped up about the length of the ride. Sigh. But like it was when I started my Master's degree, the beginning feels far from the end. Now with over a year under my belt and only two semesters left, I can see light at the end of the tunnel and am looking forward to reaching my destination. I can only assume my Invisalign experience will be the same.

Affording Your New Smile

As you know this is a BIG ticket item. I mentioned earlier that my Invisalign is costing upwards of $5500+. And for me, I don't have any orthodontic dental insurance. This means all of the costs of treatment land in my wallet - and my wallet didn't have the cash to cover the expense.

But I didn't let that stop me. I negotiated with my dentist on how to make it happen. We worked out that if I put half down upfront that the office would float me the rest in monthly payments provided I was paid in full prior to end of my service or two years (which ever came first). Okay, so that meant my upfront costs were half of what I expected.

Only problem was that I didn't have the down payment and felt there was some urgency that prevented me from waiting and saving the money. I kicked my self hard in the butt for not signing up for my employer's Section 125 plan which would have certainly covered the expense. But I will make sure that I do so in the future. If you have a 125 plan, this is something for you to look into.

That left me to figure out how to cover my down on my own. My credit card's interest and my balance at the time was topped out - so that was out. Besides, I'd rather save my available balance for emergencies rather than expenses. I considered my Visa a last resort.

Fortunately, my dentist shared an alternative option. They accept Care Credit. Never heard of it? I hadn't either. Well, it's really pretty cool. It's a credit account specifically designed to cover medical, dental, cosmetic, and veterinary (yes, like for your dog) expenses. You apply for it like any credit card or loan and there is an approval process and interest associated with the funding. But there are also short term, no interest financing options available as incentives.

There is one BIG catch to Care Credit. Although you are given a "credit card" if you are approved, it's not like a regular visa or master card. It's more like the old store specific credit cards. Not every dental provider accepts it. I tried to use it at the emergency room when my son had an accident and discovered that it didn't work.

If you are looking for financing options, it's certainly worth inquiring about. Even if your dentist doesn't accept it now, perhaps you can convince them to sign up as a provider. The important thing is to ask you dentist how other people do it. Undoubtedly they will give you suggestions on what might be available to you.

Week 1 Progress (Part 2)

Okay, so I got a bit long winded last post and I left out something really important that you probably need to know. I never discussed what they look like when they are on. I am guessing that's really worth knowing.

Here are some of my "before images". Technically it's week 1 because I didn't do any official before shots, but I guess this is close enough for the miniscule movement one would expect only after 7 days.  

As I said, they are similar to bleaching trays minus all the extra oozy goo. They fit so closely to your teeth that it's really difficult to see them unless you are inspecting my mouth or know what to look for. My kids and husband didn't even notice them until I popped them out at the dinner table the first night to show them off. Half the time my husband doesn't even notice them and has to ask if I'm wearing them.

My Week 1 Trays
You can see the tilt of the upper molars and see how narrow
the upper palate is compared to the lower.

Notice the change in bite compared to the previous picture
It is much less deep here with the trays than naturally.

I do notice a slight lisp, especially when they were new or when they have been out for more than a couple of minutes. But it diminishes quickly and isn't anything to become obsessed over. I'm a teacher, so my voice is my instrument. I need to feel comfortable talking and I feel pretty good about it.

I also feel it's worth mentioning that I can kiss my husband without him noticing that the trays are in. He reports that my teeth feel normal. I was a bit concerned about that. And if your know my back story, I absolutely could not kiss him with the Nitanium device in place, and quite frankly, I didn't feel much like kissing with it in either. I am confident wearing my Invisalign trays around my hubby and feel like that aspect of our life will go on as normal. I will say that I do notice my trays when I kiss him. So take that for what you will and prepare accordingly.

I haven't said anything to anyone about getting Invisalign just to see how people would react. So far not a single person has said anything. So that suggests to me that the trays are as invisible as I think they are and the company claims.

As week one comes to a close, I will say that I am feeling hopeful. I am not sure how fast the trays will work on my stubborn teeth. My dentist claims that each tray set is a 2 week cycle. I mention this because my trays are still feeling snug (okay, tight) on my teeth. I would think by the end of the first week that I would notice some pressure reduction, but I can't say that I notice much - at least not yet. But It's still early. I'm a bit anxious about what the extended visit next week will bring. But I will find out soon enough.

Thanks for checking in! Certainly more to come.
Cori

Week 1 Progress (Part 1)

So, I'm starting the blog a week into my experience.  I officially received my first set of trays on last Tuesday, May 6th. I commented when I saw them of how much they look like traditional bleaching trays. However, they fit differently. Unlike bleaching trays, Invisalign trays fit much tighter and put pressure on the teeth (presumably to move them).

My visit took less than 10 minutes. I was shown how to them and how to care for them. I also discovered that I have nearly 40 trays (I am uncertain if that means 40 different individual sets of trays or 40 sets - I will inquire next week when I go back).

Here's the scoop on what they told me in the office. My first set of trays is my starter set and will move my teeth, but is more for me to get used to them. So, I can only guess that what ever discomfort I encounter during the two weeks between visits will be minimal comparatively. I go back two weeks from my initial visit to sit in the chair for about 30 minutes. The dentist will apply composite (I am guessing that's the official term for goo and cement) to the trays and this is when the real works begins.

I must wear the trays for AT LEAST 22 hours a day and should only take the trays out to eat or drink anything that will stain the trays. Care for the trays is like caring for your teeth or other dental appliances and requires brushing (duh). And I should limit drinks that stain such as coffee and tea or at least attempt to drink through a straw. The literature says no denture cleanser, just brush with a soft brush. Simple enough to follow.

So, I got sent home with a pat on the head and a starter kit that basically contained a red and a blue case. The blue case if for your current set of trays. The red for your previous set of trays.  I was told to keep all my old trays in a baggie when they are retired. Not sure why, but I will do it.

This is pretty much what my kit looked like. The ginormous phamplet
really only had 3 or 4 pages that were in English and said everything my
dentist told me. The rest was a boat load of other languages. I didn't get stickers.

 My first 24 hours weren't too bad. I could get the trays in and out without too much difficulty. Although I have gel nails and I have found that this makes it a bit more challenging than with natural - particularly because I have some gum erosion on the molars that twinges when I "dig in" and pull out the trays. But it's not too terrible. I just need to go slow.

Now, for the straight talk - I am sure you know that Ortho is not cheap. My procedure is about $5500+ and this about average for my region. I expected for that price tag that the appliances would be flawless and have no rough or pointy edges. However, this isn't the case. By the next morning my tongue, cheek and lip experienced some hot spots and sores.  I discovered that this is a common issue, and fortunately easily remedied with a nail file, dental wax, and Orajel (aka: the home care kit).

My Invisalign Home Care Kit
Seriously, it should come with the starter kit you get from the dentist

I filed off the pointy and sharp bits on my own. Applied wax to the spot that were irritated to give them a break and supplemented with Orajel and some Tylenol. Problem solved. By day 3 I was good to go. Now I store a dental took kit in my night stand for future use and will file down edges of new trays before wear or as soon as I notice any irritation.

I am a week into my first trays and have already noticed movement. Likewise I notice that if I keep my trays out much longer than 20ish minutes, I notice the pressure when I put them back on. So, I happen to think that the 22 hour guidelines are on the liberal side rather than the conservative. My teeth are tender, but not unbearable.

The other thing I noticed was that I seem to have stinkier breath. I brush my teeth (and trays) now more than ever before (after every meal and snack), but my breath stinks and my trays are pretty rank. Tonight I am breaking the rules and will soak my trays in denture cleaner during dinner to see if I can combat the odor. I would rather not spend the next two years with the breath of 1000 dragons.

So, all in all, I feel that I'm off to a good start. I will add some photos of my trays and "before" smile so that you can better see what is happening.

Thanks for stopping by!
Cori

Update: I just tried the denture cleanser and it seemed to have done the trick! YAY! No more stinky.

Half the price of Polident and took the stink out!