I am now Invisaligned!

If you want to share the detailed saga of your braces story, this is the place to do it. You can use this forum as a braces journal, editing and updating your posts as your treatment goes on. Remember to also visit the main ArchWired.com site for additional stories from other readers!

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cal4ever
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:04 pm
Location: San Francisco

#16 Post by cal4ever »

I think bumbers are a small, square like ceramic "bump" that they attach to your teeth. I guess they're like notches for elastics. The bumpers have 2 purposes, 1 is to "lock" the invisaligns into place, giving the aligners a tighter fit, and 2 is to help put more presure on certain teeth.

I'm not salivating as much before, but I'm still salivating a lot. The back of my tongue is also cut up because my aligner is a little sharp in the back. I filed down the back of my aligner, but it still hurts because I already have a cut on my tongue. :(

And Kiwi, I don't feel as claustraphobic as I did yesterday. I'm definitely getting use to them. Just 27 more aligners to go! :)

becks
Posts: 175
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:55 pm
Location: Georgia

#17 Post by becks »

Glad to hear your trays finally made it to you. Having read your description of the claustrophobia of initially wearing the trays, it's probably a good thing I couldn't get them. I so would have taken them out for some relief more than I should have. But I still like the concept of them. Look forward to watching your progress.
Braced ~ March 13, 2007

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cal4ever
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:04 pm
Location: San Francisco

#18 Post by cal4ever »

Hi again. Today was Day 3 out of 365+ days. I know everyone goes through these growing pains, whether they're wearing traditional braces, linguals or in my case, invisaligns, but adjusting to braces S U C K S!!!!!!!!!! :( My front teeth hurt. I know that this is a good a hurt because it means that my teeth are moving. Unfortunately, the sides of my tongue are raw and sore too. My lower aligners are sharp and painful. I've tried filing them down, but that didn't work. My tongue still hurts. I know that my tongue will eventually toughen-up, but as for now, they hurt so bad I want to cry. I bought some dental wax today and put them on my lower aligners. Ahhh! It feels like heaven! My tongue feels so much better. I can't wait 'til my mouth and everything inside it gets acclimated to my invisaligns asap. At least I've gotten over the claustraphobia, but it's easy to forget about that when my tongue is raw and painful.

~ Rach ~
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2007 4:18 am
Location: Melb, Australia

#19 Post by ~ Rach ~ »

Hey Cal... I am one of those people that does not have a problem with my bite, however for some years became unhappy with the aesthetics of my teeth. This does not mean that i have low self esteem! I think there is a very big difference between wanting to improve something about your looks and having self esteem issues.

I'm excited for the day my braces come off and i get my teeth whitened as well! But this also does not mean that i have low self esteem, or that after these 2 things are done, i'm going to look somewhere else on my body to improve - plastic surgery, nose job, whatever.

So i totally understand where you're coming from in your posts! You shouldnt be made to feel like you're being shallow or it to be implied that you have low self esteem just because you want to improve your smile.

:D

cal4ever
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:04 pm
Location: San Francisco

#20 Post by cal4ever »

Thanks, Rach. I agree 100% with what you just said, but I think my first post was a little misleading and there was a misunderstanding between me and a fellow poster. No worries, me and that poster cleared up the misunderstanding.

As for my tongue, it feels better! YAY FOR WAX!

For those who use wax on their braces (even non-invisalign braces), how long until you stopped using wax? And, if you do use wax, will your mouth or tongue still toughen up enough to prevent sores from reoccuring?

Thanks all!

cal4ever
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:04 pm
Location: San Francisco

#21 Post by cal4ever »

Getting use to invisalign is :-/ I think I've gotten use to the invisaligns in my mouth quite well, especially since I've discovered dental wax. I don't know how long I will be using dental wax though. I think I will only use it at night when I'm sleeping. I think that's when my tongue presses on the sharp edges of my lower aligners the most. I'll try that tomorrow.

What I hate most about using invisalign is the constant need to take them off, rinse my mouth, brush my teeth, put them back on, routine before and after I eat. It's getting annoying especially since I'm still at school. At least I'll have my own office when I start work this September. That way I wont' have to carry around a toothbrush, floss, mouthwash and other accessories in my bag all day long. Instead, I can just leave it in my office.

I went out to dinner and drinking with my friends this past weekend. It was annoying taking off my aligners before dinner and then struggling to put them back afterwards--especially since I had a few glasses of Syrah. I went out drinking afterwards and just kept my aligners on. I wasn't in the mood to take them off and put them back on just so I can drink with my friends. We didn't stay out long. I brushed my teeth and did my whole routine as soon I got home.

In case anyone is reading this and is thinking about invisalign -- don't get me wrong, invisalign is great so far. No one can see it and it's not very painful at all (except when my tongue became sore). Other than that, I haven't had any painful experience. However, getting invisalign is definitely a LIFESTYLE CHANGE! I use to snack all day long and eat small meals during meal time. Now, I cna't snack at all. So, I'm always STARVING come meal time. I guess I can take my invisaligns off and eat a snack, but it's not worth it. I odn't want to go through the hassle of doing my whole invisalign routine just so I can have a banana.

I'm starting to think whether I should have gotten linguals instead, but just the thought of what those would have done to my tongue makes me think I made the right decision. Though, not having to deal with taking aligners in and out all the time, sounds nice too. Oh well, I guess all types of braces have their pros and cons.

One more thing, no one seems to notice I have my aligners on. :( No one has looked at me strange or stared at my teeth -- I guess that's the point, but I wanted at least a few people to notice. Oh well.

PS
I'm still getting use to brushing my teeth in public. I know it's not a big deal, but it's still something I need to get use to. Again, it's a lifestyle change.

cal4ever
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:04 pm
Location: San Francisco

#22 Post by cal4ever »

That's funny that you mention that KK because that's exactly what I've been telling myself. People do it all the time, I don't understand why I think it's such a big deal. After all, I don't pay attention to people when they are brushing their teeth in the bathroom. I don't think it's weird or odd. I'm starting to get use to it.

I want to snack all day long, but I can't. I'm still getting use to that. My tongue doesn't hurt anymore and I don't have to use wax all day either. I only put it on at night. The past few days has been a much more pleasant experience.

rosiepoo
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2007 11:04 am

#23 Post by rosiepoo »

thank you for sharing your story about invisalign...

i didnt qualify for them but felt it was a bummer cause i thought they were going to be better to deal with and apparently pro and cons to all methods.

right now i have only been banded and they have placed composite on my teeth so that the metal do not hit my teeth, and thats great cause i dont want to damage my teeth but now that means that there only two contact point in my bite and i have to chew on those TWO points... argghhhh!!... and sometimes i just dont eat the banana either... :wink:

cal4ever
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:04 pm
Location: San Francisco

#24 Post by cal4ever »

rosiepoo wrote: and sometimes i just dont eat the banana either... :wink:
awww, i'm sorry :( there's always oatmeal. j/k :P

I've been meaning to take pictures, but everytime I take a picture of my own teeth, I end up taking a picture of my nostrils. I'll wait 'til my fiance is around. I'll ask him to take pictures.

So far, I haven't been able to tell if there's been any movement. However, my back teeth and my front teeth have been aggravating me lately. I guess that's movement. Funny how it's only beginning to bother me now. My teeth probably want to move back to their original position.

I went to a cafe today to work on my thesis. I was bad and drank a latte with my aligners on. :( I brushed my teeth afterwards. I was also starving and shaking come lunchtime. I wish my body would get use to not snacking. Oh well. Here's to another day.

cal4ever
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 4:04 pm
Location: San Francisco

#25 Post by cal4ever »

Sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I've been busy trying to finish my thesis so I can graduate from law school. Argh.

I put my 2 of 28 aligners this past Wednesday. It was tight at first, but it was pretty insignificant. My tongue has gotten use to my aligners, but I do use wax every other night -- just in case.

I also had my last cavities filled! Yay! I'm cavity free!!! :)

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