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My teeth have always been troublesome, ever since...
My teeth have always been troublesome, ever since I was a kid with buck / rabbit front teeth and a small mouth. I had traditional metal braces from age 11-14 and then a retainer which I...uh...ahem...didn't really wear (I kept taking it out in my sleep and throwing it across the room, ok!? Would YOU want to put that hair, dust and fluff covered thing back in your mouth?! lol) So needless to say, by the time I was 18, my teeth had already started to slowly move in ways I was not happy with.
Fast forward to around the age of 27 and I had gone through the extraction of three large molars due to decay and a lack of funds for root canals. I didn't realize back then that such gaps would cause even more teeth movement.
So I finally became HIGHLY dissatisfied and embarrassed by my teeth about two years ago and in particular, the large overjet as well as ever widening gap between my two front teeth. I came into a bit of money in late 2013 and started researching. I went to a few consultations and was told by everyone I had to get the health of my teeth and gums improved before it would be safe to undertake any orthodontics. Damn!
I got it seen to by the periodontist (oh my god, the agony of being in that chair for over two hours and not being able to close my lips together for hours afterwards due to the numbness!), and a gum graft and some major cleaning and scaling later, I was good to go. I decided on Medland Orthodonics to carry out my treatment as Dr Medland was lovely and answered all my MANY questions (yes, I like to thoroughly research before I even go into consultations) and I was very satisfied with his answers.
I did consider traditional braces (but the clear ones. NOT going back to metal again at 36 years old, no way!) as I knew they'd be more effective and quicker, but Dr Medland felt the health of my teeth and gums may suffer. I have some gum recession going on and the priority is keeping my teeth in my head, and THEN making them look their best.
So...invisalign it was. I had the laser "molds" done of my mouth, which was a rather large (for my small mouth anyway) hand piece that took "photos" of all surfaces and angles inside the mouth to construct a 3D model of the teeth and mouth, on which the invisalign aligners would be based on.
Photos were also taken (which I now see whenever I go in for my progress check ups, and I cringe at them! lol) and about 2-3 weeks later I received my Clincheck via email. I was SO impatient to see this as it would basically show what my future teeth would and could look like! I must've watched it about 100 times, pausing at various points to peer closer to the computer screen to make sure I understood what I was seeing. I was not 100% impressed and asked some more questions, which again were answered to my satisfaction.
I was a bit concerned that my arch would still be too narrow, that my overjet would not be reduced enough, and that the bottom teeth were not aligned with the top at the front in the middle. I also have a LARGE gap five teeth back on the left side, which threw a slight spanner in the works, but was no problem.
I approved the clincheck, and my aligners arrived about six weeks later. I found them SOOOOOO HARD to get on and off at first! I felt so stupid and ridiculous. I was simply unable to get them out using just my fingers, like I know some people do. I had to always use an "outie" tool and even they were very hard at first. Even the dental nurses had problems!
At that appointment also, I had ALL my attachments put on. Let me see...I think there were about 15 on top and maybe 10-12 on the bottom. They honestly did not really bother me the whole time, except that first night when eating dinner, I kept catching my tongue on them and they felt rough. By the next day though, I didn't notice them. And they were not very visible either, which was a relief. You could only see them if you peered at my teeth up close.
So the first and second tray were problematic for me, only because on day 10 of tray 1, I simply could NOT get the top tray in properly! That big gap five teeth back had just a kind of elongated empty area in the aligner and it would tend to fold over on itself, causing issues with getting a proper fit on the rest of my teeth. I was at work and simply could not have my top tray hanging half out of my mouth like that, so I took it out entirely and when I got home an hour later, I put in tray 2 early. I know it's not ideal, but I was desperate! At least I could get it in!
The next day though, again at work, I couldn't get it out!!!!! I ended up having to gum some soft food as I was starving. I then squished and rinsed with copious amounts of water.
Thankfully, after this slight ordeal, I had NO problems with any of the other trays and also, let me just say, I never had a single bit of pain from any of my trays. (I had 47 trays in total for top and bottom, though I'll get to that a bit later) All I felt was tightness when first putting in each new tray. It was cool because you could literally feel which teeth / area of teeth were being worked on with each tray according to where the most tightness was. Most of the time I could feel it in my top front teeth which pleased me greatly as I wanted those teeth pushed BACK! Sometimes I could feel it more in the back teeth and sometimes on the bottom.
I did not find it too annoying to have to put my "teeth" as I call them in and out for each meal. I did not really adjust my snacking or meal schedule and used those inter-dental brushes and a mini toothbrush after. Sometimes, I'll admit, I was lazy and simply swished a lot with water, rinsed my trays and then put them back in if I was out.
I wish I'd taken more photos as my teeth progressively improved. It has now been just over a year since I started, and my top teeth are done. I got up to 23 trays and then the remainder were passive. I was a LITTLE disappointed about this at first, as I wanted the back two teeth on each side brought out a bit wider and also the front teeth pushed back just a little (oh yeah, and I did get IPR at one stage around tray 20, which was very mild and quick and with no discomfort or pain at all. The gaps it created between the front six front top teeth were slightly visible, but actually closed up completely within a month).
Dr Medland said he was cautious about moving those two back teeth on each side as the right side has major gum recession and the left side has the big gap and then one lone tooth to try and move. We have spoken of having a bridge put in to fill that gap and perhaps a brief stint with traditional braces and/or further movement with invisalign.
So right now, I have got the permanent retainer wife on the back of my front top six teeth and I am PARANOID they will move back anyway, but I kind of know they won't. It took a few days to get used to the wire being there. It was not the wire itself I kept noticing with my tongue, but the glue that held it on, which seemed much more and thicker than I expected. I'm used to it now though, five weeks after it was "installed".
The bottom teeth are continuing on and I am now on tray 27 I think. There was a BIG gap between the lower two bottom front teeth which was caused by tartar pushing the teeth apart over time (I know, I was so bad. I didn't go to the dentist for over ten years before this. Learn from my mistakes!) and now they are looking much closer together.
It took me a bit of time also to get used to not having to wear any trays on top. It felt a bit empty at first and I didn't like it! I DID enjoy having smooth teeth again though, once the attachments came off (which again was painless, quick and easy).
So now I just wait for the bottom teeth to continue on. In another two months I go back and apparently will get a bit of shaving done on my left top front tooth, as it is ever so slightly crooked, with just a bit of a slight overhang over the other tooth beside it. Like when I run my tongue or finger along the bottom surface of both of those front teeth, I feel a slight ledge when running right to left, as the left tooth is a bit lower on one side. It's a bit hard to explain. I want it exactly straight.
Also at the next appointment we will see what to do about the back teeth I want moved out wider, as right now when I smile big, there is a gap either side which I don't like and seeing as I've gone this far, I may as well get everything done I possibly can!
I am SO happy with this result, so far! I was also thrilled to see such a drastic change REALLY early in, like 1-3 months after I began, I was feeling a million times happier with my overjet and front teeth gap. It was just SUCH a relief. I love it! I would recommend invisalign to anyone who is a candidate! It is SO easy. The easiest way to get orthodontics in my opinion, by FAR.
Fast forward to around the age of 27 and I had gone through the extraction of three large molars due to decay and a lack of funds for root canals. I didn't realize back then that such gaps would cause even more teeth movement.
So I finally became HIGHLY dissatisfied and embarrassed by my teeth about two years ago and in particular, the large overjet as well as ever widening gap between my two front teeth. I came into a bit of money in late 2013 and started researching. I went to a few consultations and was told by everyone I had to get the health of my teeth and gums improved before it would be safe to undertake any orthodontics. Damn!
I got it seen to by the periodontist (oh my god, the agony of being in that chair for over two hours and not being able to close my lips together for hours afterwards due to the numbness!), and a gum graft and some major cleaning and scaling later, I was good to go. I decided on Medland Orthodonics to carry out my treatment as Dr Medland was lovely and answered all my MANY questions (yes, I like to thoroughly research before I even go into consultations) and I was very satisfied with his answers.
I did consider traditional braces (but the clear ones. NOT going back to metal again at 36 years old, no way!) as I knew they'd be more effective and quicker, but Dr Medland felt the health of my teeth and gums may suffer. I have some gum recession going on and the priority is keeping my teeth in my head, and THEN making them look their best.
So...invisalign it was. I had the laser "molds" done of my mouth, which was a rather large (for my small mouth anyway) hand piece that took "photos" of all surfaces and angles inside the mouth to construct a 3D model of the teeth and mouth, on which the invisalign aligners would be based on.
Photos were also taken (which I now see whenever I go in for my progress check ups, and I cringe at them! lol) and about 2-3 weeks later I received my Clincheck via email. I was SO impatient to see this as it would basically show what my future teeth would and could look like! I must've watched it about 100 times, pausing at various points to peer closer to the computer screen to make sure I understood what I was seeing. I was not 100% impressed and asked some more questions, which again were answered to my satisfaction.
I was a bit concerned that my arch would still be too narrow, that my overjet would not be reduced enough, and that the bottom teeth were not aligned with the top at the front in the middle. I also have a LARGE gap five teeth back on the left side, which threw a slight spanner in the works, but was no problem.
I approved the clincheck, and my aligners arrived about six weeks later. I found them SOOOOOO HARD to get on and off at first! I felt so stupid and ridiculous. I was simply unable to get them out using just my fingers, like I know some people do. I had to always use an "outie" tool and even they were very hard at first. Even the dental nurses had problems!
At that appointment also, I had ALL my attachments put on. Let me see...I think there were about 15 on top and maybe 10-12 on the bottom. They honestly did not really bother me the whole time, except that first night when eating dinner, I kept catching my tongue on them and they felt rough. By the next day though, I didn't notice them. And they were not very visible either, which was a relief. You could only see them if you peered at my teeth up close.
So the first and second tray were problematic for me, only because on day 10 of tray 1, I simply could NOT get the top tray in properly! That big gap five teeth back had just a kind of elongated empty area in the aligner and it would tend to fold over on itself, causing issues with getting a proper fit on the rest of my teeth. I was at work and simply could not have my top tray hanging half out of my mouth like that, so I took it out entirely and when I got home an hour later, I put in tray 2 early. I know it's not ideal, but I was desperate! At least I could get it in!
The next day though, again at work, I couldn't get it out!!!!! I ended up having to gum some soft food as I was starving. I then squished and rinsed with copious amounts of water.
Thankfully, after this slight ordeal, I had NO problems with any of the other trays and also, let me just say, I never had a single bit of pain from any of my trays. (I had 47 trays in total for top and bottom, though I'll get to that a bit later) All I felt was tightness when first putting in each new tray. It was cool because you could literally feel which teeth / area of teeth were being worked on with each tray according to where the most tightness was. Most of the time I could feel it in my top front teeth which pleased me greatly as I wanted those teeth pushed BACK! Sometimes I could feel it more in the back teeth and sometimes on the bottom.
I did not find it too annoying to have to put my "teeth" as I call them in and out for each meal. I did not really adjust my snacking or meal schedule and used those inter-dental brushes and a mini toothbrush after. Sometimes, I'll admit, I was lazy and simply swished a lot with water, rinsed my trays and then put them back in if I was out.
I wish I'd taken more photos as my teeth progressively improved. It has now been just over a year since I started, and my top teeth are done. I got up to 23 trays and then the remainder were passive. I was a LITTLE disappointed about this at first, as I wanted the back two teeth on each side brought out a bit wider and also the front teeth pushed back just a little (oh yeah, and I did get IPR at one stage around tray 20, which was very mild and quick and with no discomfort or pain at all. The gaps it created between the front six front top teeth were slightly visible, but actually closed up completely within a month).
Dr Medland said he was cautious about moving those two back teeth on each side as the right side has major gum recession and the left side has the big gap and then one lone tooth to try and move. We have spoken of having a bridge put in to fill that gap and perhaps a brief stint with traditional braces and/or further movement with invisalign.
So right now, I have got the permanent retainer wife on the back of my front top six teeth and I am PARANOID they will move back anyway, but I kind of know they won't. It took a few days to get used to the wire being there. It was not the wire itself I kept noticing with my tongue, but the glue that held it on, which seemed much more and thicker than I expected. I'm used to it now though, five weeks after it was "installed".
The bottom teeth are continuing on and I am now on tray 27 I think. There was a BIG gap between the lower two bottom front teeth which was caused by tartar pushing the teeth apart over time (I know, I was so bad. I didn't go to the dentist for over ten years before this. Learn from my mistakes!) and now they are looking much closer together.
It took me a bit of time also to get used to not having to wear any trays on top. It felt a bit empty at first and I didn't like it! I DID enjoy having smooth teeth again though, once the attachments came off (which again was painless, quick and easy).
So now I just wait for the bottom teeth to continue on. In another two months I go back and apparently will get a bit of shaving done on my left top front tooth, as it is ever so slightly crooked, with just a bit of a slight overhang over the other tooth beside it. Like when I run my tongue or finger along the bottom surface of both of those front teeth, I feel a slight ledge when running right to left, as the left tooth is a bit lower on one side. It's a bit hard to explain. I want it exactly straight.
Also at the next appointment we will see what to do about the back teeth I want moved out wider, as right now when I smile big, there is a gap either side which I don't like and seeing as I've gone this far, I may as well get everything done I possibly can!
I am SO happy with this result, so far! I was also thrilled to see such a drastic change REALLY early in, like 1-3 months after I began, I was feeling a million times happier with my overjet and front teeth gap. It was just SUCH a relief. I love it! I would recommend invisalign to anyone who is a candidate! It is SO easy. The easiest way to get orthodontics in my opinion, by FAR.
Provider Review
Dr Bill Medland
Dr Medland is wonderful, thorough and attentive, and he listened to all my million questions early on and answered them thoughtfully. He is a platinum provider of invisalign as far as I am aware, and all his support team are just lovely and very good at their jobs. In terms of wait times, I go back every three months and never have to wait more than five minutes. I know Dr Medland has done orthodontics for some local Australian celebrities also, but the cost for this procedure for me was hardly any different to getting traditional metal braces, and also even a bit less expensive than some other orthodontists I went to for consultations for invisalign.