Invisalign Thread

Message

#1 Post by **Cathy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:45 am

There aren't many of us but I wanted to start a thread for us to check regularly. I get my aligners next week and I'm nervous about starting the process... mostly because of headaches (I suffer from migraines and am concerned they will be triggered) and general toothaches. I recall the pain from metal braces as a kid 18 years ago

(wow, so long ago). I have some general crowding on the bottom and the top needs a little expanding to accomodate for the bottom once it's in place. Ortho says 12 to 14 months of treatment + "slenderizing" of my teeth.

Anyone else out there care to share their story?

#2 Post by **mike d** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:21 pm

Hey Cathy

I just received my aligners a week ago and so far so good. They are pretty sore the first few days but you get over it quick. I'm doing invisalign on the uppers and ceramic on the lowers. I have one tooth that needs to be turned so they had to put an adhesive on the tooth (white not noticeable at all) which fits in a bump that was already on my aligner. I guess it uses this extra adhesive as a pivot to turn the tooth. I was dissapointed in the 10 weeks it took for the lab time but I'm very happy now that I have them. In one week I can already feel the difference. Keep them real clean as well.

Website · #3 Post by **Debi** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:34 pm

Hi Cathy and Mike,

I'm waiting for my aligners. They should be in any time. I thought I would have them before Thanksgiving, but now it's looking like December.

10 weeks Mike? Wow! That's a long time to wait. I'm glad you mentioned the speedbumps (buttons) and how the aligner has a groove for the bump to fit in. I didn't know this. I saw my clincheck video and was surprised to see the bumps on my teeth.

This is my favorite message board and like you Cathy, I wish they would start an Invisalign section. There isn't much to be found on the internet. I did start my own journal online about Invisalign (and my son's experience with "almost" getting metal braces). I'll go update my journal right now and add a listserv group that is for invisalign wearers. You should join it, but stick around here too. Really nice people here!

Waving "Hi" to my friends here

Debbi

#4 Post by **Infamy** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:40 pm

I'm waiting for my aligners. They should be in any time. I thought I would have them before Thanksgiving, but now it's looking like December.

I'm thinking so, since it becomes December in twenty minutes on the East Coast.

#5 Post by **mike d** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 12:46 pm

That would be great if there was an invisalign thread but we'll just have to live without. If you have any questions maybe I could answer them for you since I'm just starting my invisalign treatment as well. They are very very discrete I almost forget I have them on. Starting new aligners is tough though becuase they basically snap into place for the first few days until your teeth start cooperating.

#6 Post by **rooroo** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 12:53 pm

Hello fellow invisalign wearers.

I went through a 1 1/2 year treatment with invisalign. I had some extensive crowding on my lower teeth so at first the ortho didn't think they could treat the bottom with Invisalign, but knew the top would be fine. Turned out Invisalign wanted to treat both, so I did 40 aligners on both the top and the bottom. I had general crowding on the top too, and my two incisors on the top stuck out and were turned funny.

Anyway, Invisalign fixed the top, and most of the bottom, but there was one bicuspid (I think) on the bottom that wouldn't turn, and one incisor on the top that didn't turn all the way. So after all that time, the ortho wanted to give me braces to finish up the job. I could have left them alone and have straight teeth to everyone else but there were some problems with teeth bumping into one another and the spaces left because those two teeth didnt turn was a few nasty cavities waiting to happen.

Anyway, I'm in a full set of braces now, ceramic tops and metal bottoms.

Here's what they look like:

They're a little crooked in those pictures because I had spacers for a week and that moved everything around. My treatment time for the braces is 6 months to a year. I wouldn't expect this kind of situation for anyone else as most patients treated by Invisalign don't have as much crowding as I did. I was probably too ambitious of a case for Invisalign to take on.

Anyway, I'm here to answer any questions any of you have about my experience with Invisalign. Good luck to all of you.

#7 Post by **Cathy** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:28 am

Rooroo, thanks for the photos!

Mike, how do you keep your trays clean?

Update: I just found out that I am going to need 33 trays on the bottom. Man, did my teeth shift from not wearing my retainers as a kid!!!

Question: The ortho recommended keeping all trays, rather than the last two or three sets (ie. at tray 20, you'd have 20 in your mouth and 19 and 18 in reserve). Did anyone else get this recommendation? I understand keeping the last few sets but all of them? With 33 on the bottom alone, I'm going to need to clean out a new shelf on the closet!

#8 Post by **mike d** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:14 pm

I was recommended to keep all of mine as well. The booklet says keep the last one or two but it won't kill me to keep all of them. I'm prescribed for 21 trays on the top. Hopefully I won't need more after that. As for cleaning the invisalign system seemed unnecessary, I've been brushing my trays (the instruction book's best reccomendation next to the invisalign system). So far it's been working fine for me. We'll see how it goes.

#9 Post by **rooroo** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 2:46 pm

I brushed mine. The ortho told me to clean them with soap and water because the toothbrush makes them appear "milky" from micro scratches. But I tried that on the first few sets and I found they turned yellow from all the plaque buildup in them. Yuck. So I brushed them, and found the scratches made them less shiny and less noticable.

I also kept all of my trays so I could see the progress. But you keep the last 2 trays incase the current one cracks. That way your teeth don't go awry while they make replacements. Trust me, they will!

#10 Post by **Cathy** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 1:34 pm

Thanks for the answers!

Website · #11 Post by **Debi** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 4:15 pm

Cathy and all other Invisalign users,
There's a great listserv JUST for Invisalign wearers. Here's the address:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InvisalignUsers/

It's my favorite "braces" list and Metal Mouth is my favorite board

Hope to see you there,
Debbi

Website · #12 Post by **Debi** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 6:44 pm

Just got the phone call that my Invisalign braces are in! Yahoo! Now I have to wait till next week to go in to the Ortho. They needed a big block of time to put the speedbumps on...12 of them. How many speedbumps/buttons does everyone else have?

Excited,
Debbi

#13 Post by **rooroo** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 8:23 pm

I had 12 as well. It actually didnt take long. They have a "template" tray that they put the cement in, and kind of fit over your teeth so the speedbumps end up exactly where they're supposed to go. I think that first appointment was 1 hour, maybe less, then each "tightening" was about 5 minutes. Far better than real braces.

By the way Debi, good luck on the first day. You'll love them!

#14 Post by **MIbraces** » Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:03 pm

Hello,
I've had my Invisalign for about 10 months now. I have 4 of the bumps on top and 1 on bottom. I've had really good success keeping my aligners clear and clean by brushing with water and a little toothpaste each time I eat. I also soak them in The cleaner that starts with the letter P that has been used in spam posts, so it's censored. Anti Bacterial 5 minute denture cleanser (green box) while I am in the shower every day. I think the The cleaner that starts with the letter P that has been used in spam posts, so it's censored. does a very good job 'cleaning' and 'refreshing' them. I have kept all of my aligners in a little plastic bag tucked away in the bathroom.
Good luck to everyone! I would be happy to answer any questions.