I started my Journey researching a smile makeover some months ago. This started with my usual dentist and a check up and clean. He recommend I see their orthodontist but being an expensive chain dental centre, I declined. Fast forward two or so months and several consultations with Dentists and Orthodontists still had me not feeling satisfied with the recommendations that had been given. One dentist gave me a written quote for Invisalign after a 2 minute look in my mouth! Others actually turned out to not do Invisalign but other cheaper alternatives and seemed to have very minimal technology which made me nervous. Frustrated, I contacted the Invisalign concierge who called me the following morning. They suggested I book for a free consult at Coombe Orthodontic in Toukley. I was really hesitant as it’s an hour or so drive and with frequent appointments needed plus being a shift worker, I wasn’t sure how this could work. The Invisalign concierge transferred my call to Coombe Orthodontic where I booked my initial consultation- which was free of charge. I did have to wait around 3 weeks due to my work schedule to get in. I supplied an earlier OPG and Lateral Ceph as these are required. The receptionist was so helpful and assured me that they offer dental monitoring so this would be an easy way for me to track progress with less physical appointments. The practice was easy to find and has their own parking. I was greeted with a smile and had a short wait to see the team. I was seen by two hygienists and Angela Coombe, orthodontist, who concluded that I am a candidate for Invisalign, my treatment duration would likely be 12-18 months and my quote for treatment, including refinements and retainers was AU$7600. They luckily had time that same day to do my scan for the clincheck to be approved and trays to be ordered. I paid my deposit that day as I was so impressed with the service I received. I was also delighted to learn that Dr Coombe is a Diamond Invisalign provider. I chose to pay for my Invisalign with Denticare- I paid my deposit and the rest of my treatment cost was spread out over 20 months- with direct debit payments being weekly/fortnight/monthly as per your preference. They do no credit checks and it was a very simple two page form. My initial consult was Thursday 21st July and was rebooked for Friday 13th to get my trays and get set up with my treatment however my trays come back early and I was able to get in early on Thursday 5th July. When the day finally come (it felt like forever) I had a short wait for my appointment, then taken into one of the rooms to view my clincheck and see how my projected movement would progress. Then straight into trying my trays for the first time and getting started with Dental Monitoring. This requires you to download an app to your Apple or android phone. Your orthodontist creates your account and adds your treatment plan. I put my new trays in (such a strange feeling), followed by the cheek retractor and started to take my first Dental Monitoring videos. Let’s just say it’s harder than it looks! After 15 mins or so of me drooling all over the place, I felt like I had it down pat. Next up was having my attachments put on. I have 13 in total. My teeth were polished, then working in segments, the primer applied, followed by the attachment template. This was cured in a few seconds with the UV, then onto the next segment until they were all on. The technician then buffed them down a bit and I gave my mouth a rinse. It was here that I was told that I need to wear one rubber band on my right side. At the time I thought it was honestly the worst thing ever. Learning to put the band on was so awkward and I felt like such an idiot as a grown woman not being able to do something so simple. We went over my accessories- special non abrasive toothpaste to clean my trays with, fluoride treatment foam, using my chewies, when I need to rebook, when my IPR will start, what to expect with discomfort etc. I rebooked for 13 weeks time with reception and off I went with my shiny new trays! Photos show my smile before starting treatment and the day of starting my treatment- you can see the attachments with the cheek retractors in situ. Updated on 8 Jul 2018: I am now on my 4th day with Invisalign. My first day felt uncomfortable but no pain. I am putting wax over the top tray where my band attaches as it sticks out slightly and rubs on my gum which is annoying. I have a hard gel on both pointer fingers which helps get my trays out. I use an orthokey when at work although I feel that I have to be fairly aggressive with my bottom tray to get it out. From the second day I have had mild pain in my teeth and headaches which I’ve been taking panadol for with good effect. Taking my bottom tray out can be a bit of a hassle as my teeth are so crowded, it can be hard to get the tray off. After taking my trays out, my teeth are sensitive and chewing can be slightly painful. I have been sticking to mostly softer foods but been able to eat toast ok too. I feel as if I cannot bite down hard but perhaps this is my imagination due to being very diligent to not clench my teeth with trays in. (I’m a massive teeth clencher when I sleep and when stressed) Updated on 12 Jul 2018: Yesterday morning I had my Dental Monitoring scans due. It was a feat to get them done! Something so simple is so hard- trying to get your teeth to line up, turn your head just so while keeping the phone still and pulling/pushing the cheek retractor the right way while taking a video with the back camera on your phone! After a good 20 minutes I was satisfied with what I had recorded and sent it off. Because the DM team is in France, I had to wait until around 6pm AEST for a reply. Everything looked great and I got he all clear to move on to tray 2. Putting tray 2 on for the first time felt so tight and uncomfortable compared to how tray 1 had just felt. I put it on around 11pm just before bed. I had some minor discomfort overnight but nothing to warrant pain relief. My teeth are sore when I take my new trays out to eat- I feel like I’m being super gentle biting my food. It’s also not a fun time for the first 5 minutes or so after putting them back in. I did notice I had an occasional lisp after the first three days of my last tray as my tray didn’t feel as snug as it first did (not sure if this had anything to do with it or not). I have noticed people looking at my mouth when speaking to them but so far no one has asked what is going on yet. Despite having attachments, I’ve been able to get my trays out with an orthokey. I was given another tool but it doesn’t seem get under to lift the trays. At this stage, it’s all smooth sailing. I’ll continue to update.