Invisalign at 56? Must Be Crazy! - Keller, TX

I have always wanted a better smile and was always afraid to ask about braces. I hate going to the dentist for any reason and would never sign up for any cosmetic procedure. So, what changed? My husband went to the orthodontist and inquired about Invisalign and brought the information home. He then made an appointment for me. I never would have done this myself.

The initial consultation was pretty easy. They create 3D digital renderings of your actual teeth and animate the changes the teeth will undergo during treatment. I was told my teeth weren't too bad and could expect 15 - 18 sets of trays (upper and lower braces) and possibly 3 final adjustment trays. Each set of trays would be worn for about 2 weeks and we could potentially speed things up by shortening the time period that each set would be worn. They would stay away from attachments (material placed on the teeth that resembles a nub and allows for targeted teeth movement). I decided to go ahead with the processes.

A few weeks later I received the first sets of trays. That was a little over a week ago. The trays are super easy to put on and take off. They remind me of a mouth guard that your kids might use to play certain sports. You need to wear them 22 hours or more daily and you take them off when you eat and drink. I was surprised to learn that the original 15 - 18 sets of trays had become 25 when the plan was complete. I sure hope that this can be shortened as I go through the process.

I found that the edges are rough and discovered that my tongue and gums became irritated from the rough edges. The orthodontist told me I could use a nail file to file these edges down which I attempted to do. A nail file is a little too large to fit in all the right places and I didn't want to damage them. Filing helped but the edges were still uncomfortable so I decided to try dental wax. This worked pretty well but I ended up with wax all over the place. So I get a little more aggressive with the nail file and it finally worked!

So after a couple of attempts to remove the wax I researched the best way to clean the braces and invested in a sonic cleaner and 3 minute Polident tablets. Best thing I did! This process gets them super clean.

My routine is pretty basic. I remove them as soon as I get up in the morning and put them in the sonic cleaner for a 6 minute cycle with the Polident. I repeat the cleaning process each time I remove them when I am at home. When I am away from home, I remove them privately and place them in water with a Polident tablet (ziploc bag). Before putting them back on my teeth, I brush or rinse my mouth well with water and rinse the braces. My teeth have never been brushed so much!

The first week has been okay. I haven't found them too inconvenient and they are pretty comfortable. My teeth haven't been tender or sore, just my tongue and inner lips from the rough edges have but the filing helped tremendously! I am anxious to move on to the next set of trays.

The braces became way too comfortable in week two. I developed a habit of pulling them down partially on my upper teeth and pushing them back up with my tongue. I would describe them as feeling "spongey". So I decided it was time to move to the next set of retainers before the scheduled time.

The second set of retainers were tight when I first put them on and it felt like they held my teeth better. I didn't have the uncomfortable edges like I did with the first set. It could be that I am really getting used to having a foreign object in my mouth! I've been wearing them almost a week and they are much more comfortable than they were initially. They still feel pretty tight on my teeth and I haven't started pulling them off yet.

I did revise my routine a bit. I still put them in the sonic cleaner with Polident in the morning to make sure they are fresh and clean. Instead of repeating the sonic cleaner throughout the day, I am now just putting them in water with the Polident tablet when I eat. They are still fresh and this process is a little easier than cleaning the sonic cleaner multiple times in a day. And I will admit that I plan eating to minimize the brushing process!

My teeth really don't hurt but I have noticed that they do feel sharper when I remove the braces to eat. I can also tell that the braces are working because I am more aware of chewing harder foods (carrots, chips, ice), but I wouldn't say that my teeth hurt or eating is painful.

I know it has only been a little more than two weeks that I have been wearing them and I believe that I can already see a change in my teeth. I'll find out more in a couple of weeks at my follow up appointment.

Based on the reviews that I have read, I will be armed with some additional questions for my ortho. I don't believe that I will have attachments or bands but I will confirm. I'll try to upload pictures again. I tried before but it wasn't successful!