Inman aligners

[aldo]

Does the lower aligner affect spech too?

[tennesseeditto]

[quote="aldo"]Does the lower aligner affect spech too?[/quote]

I am wearing both at the same time so am not sure if it is the upper aligner or combination of the two. What I do know is this: I practiced on various people yesterday as I ran errands and by the end of the day my speech had improved such that a friend understood all my words-on the phone no less-EXCEPT for those with three syllables.

Wish I could have called a stranger who wouldn't have known my speech pattern but then I may have had another problem! :o)

Just practice enunciation and choose your words before speaking--you'll done fine and before you know it you will have straight teeth.

[tennesseeditto]

[quote="*betty*"]Thank you for the replies. I imagine it might take longer for my teeth to settle down because I'm 30+ too.

Sorry I got you worrying too buzz31. If it's any consolation the uppers I had treated with the Inman don't feel loose. I also remember reading a post (on this thread I'm sure) where someone had asked their dentist twice if the speed of the Inman could cause root absorbtion and they were told it didn't.

Maybe the Inman is quick [i]and[/i] safe because it uses constant pressure, whereas traditional braces, which are periodically tightened, do it in more violent bursts? Also the Inman is working for about 20 hours a day for thr whole treatment time, whilst wire braces might not be doing anything in between ortho appointments for tightening?

I'm pleased with my treatment - the teeth look good, it was just a throw-away comment from someone I told about it. They said "surely it can't be good to move the teeth that quickly". That's what got me thinking.[/quote]


Okay, this post is for all you "old timers" the ones who had their teeth straightened in 2008 (or no later than 2009). How are your teeth today? Did the teeth settle in and were all your worries for nothing?

I hope you are still very satisfied with the results. Your American Cousin. :o)

[earthgirl]

Hi, can I ask everyone what position your front bar is in on your teeth, high near the gums, low near the biting edge of your teeth, or somewhere in the middle?

I'm asking because mine moves about a bit. I have a composite on the top of my right incisor to stop it slipping up too high, but when I move it towards the biting edge I feel much more pressure.

I will ask my dentist at my next appointment, but I don't have much confidence in my dentist right now, I'm 5 months in, and progress has been slow. He seems to think I am almost finished, but to me, my teeth are far from straight.

Thanks

[jessica716]

I got my inman on Thursday, I've had composites put on my front teeth and i have a clear powerchain on at themoment which i have to wear for 4 weeks to straighten my teeth (as i have an overjet) before then having the powerchain changed to the normal aligner style,

The powerchain sits on the bottom half of my front teeth...

The first day was painful and i've had to invest in some ortho-wax to stop the rubbing on the inside of my cheek but so far so good...
Apparently I should be done in 16 weeks...

How many hours are people wearing theirs for? So far I've been wearing it for approx 22-23 hours a day

[Braceforcash]

I'll defo try that, thanks!!

[TraceT]

I'll defo try that, thanks!!

Where do you live?

My dentist in Preston, Lancashire, UK was offering free consultations. He's also so friendly I know he would quite happily show one to interested parties during a consultation.

There is a search function on the official IA website that lists dentists by area.

[smileshy]

Hi All!

After a little delay I have finally had my IA fitted today. I have to say that even though it looks quite small when it's not in my mouth, it does actually feel HUGE once it's in! My upper lip doesn't really go over the front bar and my lips look quite big and pouty which I wouldn't mind except for the fact I have quite a big mouth and lips anyway so now I look like trout pout!
But as it's only my first day wearing it, I'm hoping I'll get used to it in a few days and figure out where my lips should sit?!

As for speech, as everyone says, it's awful at the moment. I have a real problem with d and s words but am talking all the time just to try and improve it.

I put the front and back bar in place first and then clip on the metal bits at the side to put the aligner in and have been unhooking the metal bits then releasing the bars to take it off, but I'm not sure if this is right as it feels a little harsh and I'm worried I may break the aligner because it seems a little fragile! Is this ok or am I doing it wrong? The dentist did say how to do it but I was too shocked at the time at how big it felt too register any information.

How is everyone else getting on with the IA's? Hope it's going well for you all!

[IAG]

Hi everyone, just wanted to let you know that finally after week 3 my front teeth are beginning to move... I was quite worried as I saw no movement at all despite wearing the IA for hours on end every day. I was losing faith but looking at pictures and how much tighter flossing has become, there is no doubt it is all happening!!! Phew!!!!

If your top teeth are protruding outwards like mine, try bringing them in backwards as far as you can, to see how they line up with your bottom teeth after brushing them. This is the easiest way to spot if they are moving. For example I could not even place my top front teeth behind my bottom teeth, but now I can for the very first time... so clearly something has changed.

Also I have been fitted with an expander and told to tighten it once a week. I have found that by reducing it to 5 days, more space is created and the teeth are moving faster... so if you can fit your IA comfortably in your mouth and have an expander built-in, reduce the time between turns and see if you notice a difference.

Keep your updates coming!

[tennesseeditto]

Hi All!

After a little delay I have finally had my IA fitted today. I have to say that even though it looks quite small when it's not in my mouth, it does actually feel HUGE once it's in! My upper lip doesn't really go over the front bar and my lips look quite big and pouty which I wouldn't mind except for the fact I have quite a big mouth and lips anyway so now I look like trout pout!
But as it's only my first day wearing it, I'm hoping I'll get used to it in a few days and figure out where my lips should sit?!

As for speech, as everyone says, it's awful at the moment. I have a real problem with d and s words but am talking all the time just to try and improve it.

I put the front and back bar in place first and then clip on the metal bits at the side to put the aligner in and have been unhooking the metal bits then releasing the bars to take it off, but I'm not sure if this is right as it feels a little harsh and I'm worried I may break the aligner because it seems a little fragile! Is this ok or am I doing it wrong? The dentist did say how to do it but I was too shocked at the time at how big it felt too register any information.

How is everyone else getting on with the IA's? Hope it's going well for you all!

That is the way I have been putting in/taking out my IAs as well.

[tennesseeditto]

I have had my IAs in place for 16 days now.

Everyone is different so my experience may or may not be identical to yours. I simply report it here to help others who may want to know how someone else is progressing.

My teeth are very over crowded plus I have an over bite and one front tooth that is rotated somewhat over the other front tooth. To allow for movement, in addition to the expanders, my dentist did a little filing on three of my teeth (very little).

At the time I was fitted with the IAs, I was also told to turn the arch expanders once a week and that he would see me in four weeks. He would reevaluate the progress and might have to do a little more filing. (It didn't hurt.) Just like others, I was told not to expect any visual movement of my teeth (upper or lower) in the first month as the IAs and arch expanders (upper and lower) would be loosening the teeth and expanding the arches. He took lots of pictures and bid me well.

I had read every entry here on IAs before making an appointment to see if I was a good candidate for them so I knew about the drooling and communication challenges. I decided to schedule the fitting for a Thursday afternoon and took a vacation day for Friday so I could practice talking or whatever else I needed to do before Monday's work day.

What I ended up doing was stopping by to see a couple colleagues Friday morning so my new appliances wouldn't be such a shock to everyone. To my amazement, everyone was very positive. That was very nice!

I expected pressure, which there is, but I was not expecting pain from sores. I'd read about zilactin-B in this forum so went in search of it. It is not a prescription but the Target pharmacist had to order it for me as it is a little pricey. The small tube cost ~$6.50 (US) but worth every penny! I use a Q-tip to strategically put the gel where it hurts to numb the tissue. NOW read this: if you have pain go see your dentist for an adjustment; they aren't supposed to be poking the inside of your mouth!

So, I have had both the upper and lower IAs adjusted (after five days of pain that I thought I would have to just endure) and now they are okay. Pressure, yes, pain, no. Does everyone agree?

At about 12 days I noticed movement of my teeth! So I must be doing okay. I wear the IAs between 20 to 22 hours each day with one six-hour reprieve on Sunday. I can't sing in them and do not intend to try.

[tennesseeditto]

Hi, can I ask everyone what position your front bar is in on your teeth, high near the gums, low near the biting edge of your teeth, or somewhere in the middle?

I'm asking because mine moves about a bit. I have a composite on the top of my right incisor to stop it slipping up too high, but when I move it towards the biting edge I feel much more pressure.

I will ask my dentist at my next appointment, but I don't have much confidence in my dentist right now, I'm 5 months in, and progress has been slow. He seems to think I am almost finished, but to me, my teeth are far from straight.

Thanks

I do not have any composites on my teeth and my upper one moves from time to time. I simply move it back in place to where I feel the pressure back on my teeth. Do you have arch expanders? Did you take any pictures so you could check the progress yourself? Did he do any filing to allow for movement? Sorry for all the questions but 5 months seems like a long time to me. But, hey, what do I know? This is my first experience with the appliances and I've never had braces so I'll repeat myself here: what do I know?

[tennesseeditto]

hi, had my IA put in a few days ago it hurts when i take it out but really hurts when i put it back in i was aware when i got it but wasnt expecting so much pain does anyone have any tips on how to put it in so it doenst hurt as much because it gets to the point i dont want it in also is it normal for the wire to catch on the side of your mouth and any ideas on how to stop this?
thanks

I hope you have gone back to your dentist for an adjustment? I endured the pain of those wires too for 5 days. I'd tried wax but that didn't very much. My dentist adjusted them and now I simply have pressure from the IAs and arch expanders doing their work.

Yes, I do experience some pain when I take them out or put them back in from time to time. Perhaps it is me not taking enough time to do it? I use zilactin-B to numb the area where it hurts now. Also, I put the lower IA in and then wait until it settles down (extra saliva, etc) and then insert the upper IA.

Hope this helps. Wish you the best!

[tennesseeditto]

Thanks for your replies guys I was warned in the beginning of my treatment that the final plastic aligners would be £150 on top of the price for the inman aligner, and I was also warned that I might need an extra one a couple of months back. I feel the price I paid in the beginning was very reasonable, I think it just wasn't included in the first up front cost and helped me to spread out the payment a bit... But I must admit I was a bit gutted to have to pay out for a 3rd clear plastic one...

I am also partly to blame for the length of time mine has taken - Only wearing my inman for 16 hours a day in the beginning and I only really ever got up to 18 hours - so that is probably why mine has taken longer. I should have been wearing it for 20 hours a day. And I would recommend you try to get as many appointments with your dentist as often as possible - I used to have one every 3 weeks but ideally I think you need to go every 2 weeks otherwise you are just slowing the whole process down. So if something isn't moving they can do something about it sooner rather than later. I live an hour away and would have to take time off work to get there before they closed - I just couldn't do that every 2 weeks. I also had it in my head that I was happier for my teeth to have the chance to 'settle' before moving them drastically in a short space of time - not that they've ever felt loose or wobbly - but just the way I felt!

Anyway, I will let you know how I get on...

Lea, how is your teeth straightening coming along?

[tennesseeditto]

Jules, your posts were an encouragement to me as were all of the others. I wonder if your care to give how an update from someone who was pleased with the rapid results of the Inman Aligners?