Invisalign...at 55!! - Concord, CA

I haven't logged in for quite some time. I guess I should have not tried to look at every set and the "differences" because there really wasn't much of a change from one tray to the next. But about 2 months ago I realized I could see the incisor to the right of my middle incisor for the first time in my life. It had always been hiding behind everything else. I made an additional cleaning appointment with my hygenist because there was a dark shadow on it likely because a toothbrush had never been able to reach it. It's still a little darker in one spot, but I've started using a whitening toothpaste and a whitening product targeting that one dark spot.

11 trays to go - should be done by the end of the year. I'm about 2 months behind my original schedule because I had a tooth break, and then a root canal and during the healing from the root canal I couldn't wear the aligners for almost a month due to the sensitivity. Then I had to go backwards a tray set to get back on track.

I don't like how my front incisors aren't the same length...does anyone know if they can be sanded or something after I'm done to make them the same?

I'm so happy with this decision!

Ouch! The last tray set was a breeze...this one hurts! I think this one is really focusing on the upper right incisor and the one next to it, that were on top of each other when I was a kid.

I can definitely see a difference.

Doc said when I get to 27 I get more attachments. Lovely...not really looking forward to that.

I am looking forward to the end result...

I haven't updated in awhile. I had tendon repair surgery on my right foot in October and 8 weeks of non-weight bearing cast took its toll for sure. Then I had a setback with the aligners. I went to put in a new set (I think it was set 16) and the top aligner wouldn't fit - not even close. I looked more closely and saw that it was perfectly straight teeth! So aligner 16 was made incorrectly. My dentist gave me the option of staying in 15 until she got the warranty replacement, or skipping 16 on the top and moving on to 17 for the top while wearing #16 on the bottom for 10 weeks, then staying in 17 on the top while moving to 17 on the bottom for 10 days. I opted for the latter. I must say that skipping one made for a pretty painful first couple of days, but it really was only about 2 days.

Once I got back on track, dealing with the pain of the foot and the arthritis flare-ups in my knees (probably from using only my left leg for 8 weeks and then walking funny and unlevel in a boot for another 4 weeks), I honestly put the Invisalign on hold. I was forgetting to put them in after breakfast, and would go all day without them.

I'm now back on track, and started tray set 19 of 48 two days ago. I'm back on my 10-12 day cycle. My dentist gave me permission to move every 10 days, but if I'm still achy at 10 days I wait until there is no more ache. When I told her that she said it was perfect - I'm listening to my body say it isn't ready.