POSTED UNDER Invisalign Reviews
From Snaggletooth to Straight Smile? Being Patient is Difficult! - Omaha, NE
UPDATED FROM latentsmile
2 months post
Tray 4 + the Dread Pirate Rubber Band
$5,300
Okay, so it's not a pirate. I'll admit that up front…but the $#%* thing has been irritating the inside of my cheek now since Monday, and it feels like it's making the *wrong* teeth hurt (you know, the ones that aren't supposed to be moving and should be acting more as anchors?).
I had one button added to my bottom teeth and only have to wear the one rubber band…for now. The button is metal and annoys me because: 1) food catches in it worse than on any of the attachments (I could use a power washer for Christmas to help keep it clean), 2) it jabs into my cheek when the aligners are out, making it impossible to eat at a normal speed without bleeding, 3) adding the rubber band makes it less noticeable to my mouth, but also makes the tooth it is attached to ACHE.
The rubber band's second attachment point is on my upper canine, directly on the aligner tray. I was wondering what that hooked part of my trays was for and now I know. …And now I have to stop trimming it off and try to figure out how to keep it from bending outward and stabbing the inside of my lips. >.< Sorry guys, this week has been a real test. I know I want the straight smile. But yes, all of the little things have me irritated and I'm sorry if I'm complaining a lot.
I change out the band every time I eat. It's come off a few times on its own…getting snapped on the inside of your mouth is less than glamorous. :)
For the New Year's Eve holiday, I'm delaying changing out my trays for two days. I am dreading Christmas a little, because I love all of the food and by then tray 4 will be fairly loose. It's going to be a struggle not to just leave them out in between lunch and dinner. :/ Send me strength! :) Happy holidays...
I had one button added to my bottom teeth and only have to wear the one rubber band…for now. The button is metal and annoys me because: 1) food catches in it worse than on any of the attachments (I could use a power washer for Christmas to help keep it clean), 2) it jabs into my cheek when the aligners are out, making it impossible to eat at a normal speed without bleeding, 3) adding the rubber band makes it less noticeable to my mouth, but also makes the tooth it is attached to ACHE.
The rubber band's second attachment point is on my upper canine, directly on the aligner tray. I was wondering what that hooked part of my trays was for and now I know. …And now I have to stop trimming it off and try to figure out how to keep it from bending outward and stabbing the inside of my lips. >.< Sorry guys, this week has been a real test. I know I want the straight smile. But yes, all of the little things have me irritated and I'm sorry if I'm complaining a lot.
I change out the band every time I eat. It's come off a few times on its own…getting snapped on the inside of your mouth is less than glamorous. :)
For the New Year's Eve holiday, I'm delaying changing out my trays for two days. I am dreading Christmas a little, because I love all of the food and by then tray 4 will be fairly loose. It's going to be a struggle not to just leave them out in between lunch and dinner. :/ Send me strength! :) Happy holidays...
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UPDATED FROM latentsmile
2 months post
Tray 3
As promised, pics of my teeth. Finally…although they're not very clear. I despise the tumorous looking attachments but I'm past caring about what other people think. I'm fixing my smile and that's that.
I'm updating again fairly early on Tray 3, since I know the next few weeks will be crowded with appointments and personal/business stuff.
I'm on day 4 of these trays and finally past dreading removing them. I felt like I was pulling out my teeth, which felt like they were honestly on fire, every time I removed the trays. I cried a little. I even yelped once. The pressure on my top front teeth and left side made it feel like I'd been punched in the jaw, especially when trying to eat. (Never noticed it before, but I think most of my life I have chewed on my left side…talk about a hard habit to break!) Thankfully, that's all behind. Until Tray 4...
I've noticed that flossing is becoming more difficult between my molars, and my bite is definitely feeling weird already. Maybe it's just me becoming accustomed to the aligners, so it feels strange when they're out. But when I eat I notice that things are just different somehow. Then again, only on tray three, maybe it's all in my head.
In about a week I *get the joy* of having more attachments added and starting with the rubber bands. JOY JOY JOY! The fun of rotating a molar, wheeeee. Until then...
I'm updating again fairly early on Tray 3, since I know the next few weeks will be crowded with appointments and personal/business stuff.
I'm on day 4 of these trays and finally past dreading removing them. I felt like I was pulling out my teeth, which felt like they were honestly on fire, every time I removed the trays. I cried a little. I even yelped once. The pressure on my top front teeth and left side made it feel like I'd been punched in the jaw, especially when trying to eat. (Never noticed it before, but I think most of my life I have chewed on my left side…talk about a hard habit to break!) Thankfully, that's all behind. Until Tray 4...
I've noticed that flossing is becoming more difficult between my molars, and my bite is definitely feeling weird already. Maybe it's just me becoming accustomed to the aligners, so it feels strange when they're out. But when I eat I notice that things are just different somehow. Then again, only on tray three, maybe it's all in my head.
In about a week I *get the joy* of having more attachments added and starting with the rubber bands. JOY JOY JOY! The fun of rotating a molar, wheeeee. Until then...
Replies (1)
December 6, 2013
It's not all in your head. :( I'm still complaining about my blasted bite being jacked up from my Invisalign. But I think most people end up much better by the end. :) I noticed also that I nearly always chew on my right molars. I wonder if that's just we who have problems who do that kind of thing, or if that's normal. Huh.
December 9, 2013
It is interesting…I'd guess most people favor one side without realizing it, but then again if your bite is correct all the way around maybe not. Hmm. That's disappointing that your bite ended up being screwy. :| I'd be really upset…something I'll be sure to follow up on with my ortho. Hope you're having a good week!
December 20, 2013
I went to the ortho and talked to them about it, and they said I have to reduce my hours wearing the aligners back down to 8 and then come back in 6 weeks. At that time, they'll file down stuff that needs to be filed, and then I'll grumble a lot and they'll switch out at least one of my Vivera retainers for a Hawley. I'm holding out for both because I cannot not clench with the Viveras, and it's the clenching that's messed up my bite. It forces the molars into the jaws so they're not in their right places and leaves me with a posterior open bite. Big problem. So yeah.
Good luck with the holiday. I'm not gonna lie--I forgot to put my aligners back in on Christmas the year I was doing Invisalign. I wore them a full 24 hours the next day to try to make up for it (not removing for meals--I didn't eat any meals--but removing only to brush and floss) but I don't think it made much of a difference. It may be a bigger deal for you, though, since you've got a lot more going on than I did and I was also nearer the end of my treatment.
Happy Holidays!
Good luck with the holiday. I'm not gonna lie--I forgot to put my aligners back in on Christmas the year I was doing Invisalign. I wore them a full 24 hours the next day to try to make up for it (not removing for meals--I didn't eat any meals--but removing only to brush and floss) but I don't think it made much of a difference. It may be a bigger deal for you, though, since you've got a lot more going on than I did and I was also nearer the end of my treatment.
Happy Holidays!
UPDATED FROM latentsmile
2 months post
Embedded Video Links
Sorry about that…I really do wish we had a "Preview" option so we know if we've added something correctly. :) Here are the videos, embedded! :)
Replies (1)
December 3, 2013
Oh wow. Thanks for the ClinChecks! What fun :) Now we'll be able to see whether they're accurate or overly optimistic! ;)
Replies (3)