I had very crooked teeth when I was younger and didn't start wearing a brace till I was 21. I had 2 teeth out to make room, all my wisdom teeth which were severely impacted, started with a removable brace, then moved to fixed. Wore fixed retainers for a few years but they kept coming off. A vast improvement to my smile and confidence but over the years there has been a little movement back. Although everyone thinks my smile is nice and don't see a problem, I really notice it and was bothered that one of my two front teeth was slightly behind the other and the tooth next to it was at an angle. Heard about Invisalign from a girl at work and couldn't even see hers so did some research into various options. I would have gone for lingual braces (incognito) which are on the back of the teeth but it was so much more expensive. I drink tea/coffee all day and snack a lot too and like going out to eat so my biggest concerns pre treatment was not eating. Got my first set of aligners 28 August. I'm to have 29 on the top and 26 on the bottom. The plan is to even out my bottom teeth which are a little overcrowded and straighten my top teeth and give me a wider smile too. i was really suprised when I got first set that it didn't hurt. But by next day my teeth were very tender. This didn't last though more than first couple of days. Felt very strange to have something covering my teeth and I do run my tongue along it. I'm determined to stick to the 22 hours a day as much as possible so I've had to change my eating habits radically. In the morning I Mae a cup of tea and leave it too cool a little before drinking with breakfast. I have a coffee and snack about 10.30, lunch next then nothing until dinner. Lost 3lbs in first 2 weeks. Updated on 4 Oct 2015: A belated post on getting my attachments. I've got 15 on 13 teeth. It didn't hurt putting them on but the device that kept my mouth open was uncomfortable and it took a long time. I was quite shocked when I saw the attachments on my canine teeth, especially the left one as it sticks out a lot and I felt it was really noticeable. Also felt really weird for a few days without the aligners on. Feels like you have something stuck to your teeth that needs to come off. I can see why people say they prefer their aligners on. When my aligners are off the attachment on my left canine really sticks into my lip. When they are on I do get a lot of rbbing on inside of my top lip when I talk. The middle of the aligner seems to catch but by the time I'm writing this I am getting used to that. Haven't had any pain though to the point where I feel like I need painkillers. Still in my little routine of breakfast, mid morning coffee and snack, and lunch which usually total about 65 mins incl teeth brushing. I then have rest of time for dinner but I've been trying to make that a bit less so I have a bit of time to play around with during the two weeks for going out etc. I do think my two front teeth have moved a little already even though it's only two weeks unless that's wishful thinking! Updated on 15 Oct 2015: Aligner 3 went on a little tighter but by the next morning was feeling much more comfortable. Had expected pain. The only pain was really where it cuts into my top lip, especially when I talk. Went to dentist for a check and to get get Aligners 4-6. Also had spacing. I didn't really know what this was or what to expect and find this site brilliant for that. Basically had 0.2mm filed off sides of 3 bottom teeth (may have been 4). Weird experience. It didn't hurt but keeping my mouth open was the hard part. I think I'm clenching my jaw a lot and he's given me exercises to do, which I am doing but not for the full 5 mins twice a day. Aligner 4 has felt much tighter. I could feel the pressure on two of my top tweeth straightaway and for the first 2 days my teeth felt quite tender but not painful. The worst thing now is the aching jaw. I don't know if that is caused by teeth moving or because I can't stop clenching. Felt really fed up with it last night and was so relieved to take it out to eat. I'd be interested to know if anyone else gets jaw ache. I've left the picture with aligner I as you can't see my teeth as well but it shows what wearing an aligner is like and how all the spit collects in it! Updated on 30 Oct 2015: Starting wearing Aligner 5 23 Oct. instantly tighter in a few different places though that's now worn off. After about 5 days I experienced the same jaw ache as I'd had about 5 days into tray 4. Still think it might be to do with clenching my teeth. I think there's an improvement to my top from teeth but having put two pics together from before to 8 weeks in, I think tHey look worse! Updated on 30 Oct 2015: Updated on 1 Apr 2016: Not a lot to say really. Everything progressing fine. My teeth are definitely looking straighter (I notice it more with aligners in). Have had IPR a couple of times on lower teeth. They are straighter but one of them not quite sitting in where I thought it would. No real discomfort. If I've had aligners out for longer e.g over Christmas or lot of eating out, I've just left in for longer overall. Updated on 1 Apr 2016: Updated on 12 May 2016: Started Aligner 18 a couple o f days ago. Aligner 17 was very tight at the top so was expecting this to be and it isn't. This pic shows me wearing the Aligner. I think they look straighter with the Aligner in but the attachments on my top teeth are much more prominent on the canines now - must be as the teeth have moved. Had a little IPR on the top teeth last week for the first time. One of. Y bottom canines isn't quite as it should be so expecting refinement on that. Hope to have sooner rather than later.
