Invisalign: Stories

My orthodontist said I was a great candidate for Invisalign, and I was very excited. Don't know if I would've been comfortable with regular braces at age 56. Just got my first set of aligners yesterday and things are good. Aligners are tight but not painful. Did have a bit of a headache but haven't taken anything for it yet. I never had braces as a youngster, but as I've gotten older my teeth have become crowded, making me very self-conscious. Don't personally know anyone who has tried Invisalign, so this forum will be helpful.

After three days of wearing my aligners, things are going well. When brushing I've noticed a little tenderness in some of my molars. My mouth actually feels better with the aligners in rather than out! No one has said anything about noticing changes in how I speak. The first day I felt a little funny when talking, but I only had trouble with a few sounds. I've never brushed and flossed so much in my life, but that's ok!
I have two sets of aligners to wear before getting attachments and some "sanding" between some teeth my next visit. I'm hoping it won't be too difficult to remove my aligners after I get my attachments. They aren't easy to remove now but I haven't had as much trouble as I thought I might. I was told to clean them with anti-bacterial hand soap. I'm wondering if I need to do this every time I remove them, or if once in the morning is enough. I always rinse them with water before putting them back in.
I am expecting to wear my aligners for 18 months. The orthodontist's assistant told me that I will most likely wear permanent retainers after the process is complete to prevent my teeth from moving. I'm trying not to expect perfection, but I am hoping for a big improvement in my smile!

Last night I changed to my second set of trays. They feel tight but are not painful. I've gotten accustomed to wearing them and am not bothered by them. Several times I have been unable to brush and floss immediately after eating and am wondering what I should do in that situation. Is it better to pop the aligners back in after eating and brush as soon as I can, or should I leave them out until after I can brush? I want to be sure I'm wearing them enough hours per day, but I wonder if it is a mistake to wear them for say an hour without brushing. Any advice is appreciated!

Got 8 attachments 2 days ago. Never knew my lips could be stretched that far!!! Also had IPR between two teeth. Not painful or unpleasant at all. Got 4 more sets of aligners, so i don't have to go back for several weeks. My newest aligners are harder to remove, but I've figured out how to do it pretty quickly. Now my only complaint is that when I eat, my buttons rub the inside of my mouth in some spots. I have one place inside my bottom lip that I bite repeatedly. However, compared to some of the other things I've read, my experience has been very positive. Reading about the pain others have described has been a little scary, so I feel fortunate!!!