I am nearly at the end of Tray 1! Already I have had some IPR and my attachments fitted (See previous blog posts). Everything is going ok, there was a bit of pain for a few days when I first put my Trays in. When I got my attachments fitted I was scared that I was never going to eat again. I had brought a selection of food to eat as I know look forward to meal times and I tried to get my Invisalign off and I couldn't. I sat clawing at my mouth looking in a small mirror for nearly an hour. I was in a lot of pain irritating the gums that were now exposed as that morning I'd had IPR done.
I was contemplating on ringing the dentist but I felt a bit stupid as a couple of hours ago he'd asked me to take them out and with it taking alot of effort I still got them out. After getting quite upset and then I finally accepted that I wasn't going to be able to eat that day as I couldn't go through the pain of getting them off.
Later on I was sitting in my car looking in the mirror trying to get them off again, I started from the back and got my nail under one of the aligners and gave it a tug, one side had come off! One side!!!! I then tugged the rest of it working my way round, I had got the bottom tray off! I carried on the same with the top, I had managed to get them off! It wasn't painless but I'd got them off!
I went to the nearest shop, brought loads of food and ate it all (Abit dramatic I know but I was unsure if I was every going to be able to eat again).
Ok, since then it hasn't been so bad, I seem to have developed a technique which doesn't hurt as much. I think its just practice, I know I will be fine a few weeks, I hope! Also it still hurts quite a bit to eat hard food, I think its because my teeth haven't had a rest, I got my aligners, then attachments and then in a few days i'll be switching to tray 2 so hopefully mid way through tray 2 all will be good again.
Is invisalign invisible? Yes it is, no one has noticed and to be honest I think I prefer them with my teeth in them now! :)
Wednesday 5 October 2011
Interproximal Reduction (IPR), Slenderizing, Attachments
I am still on my first tray and it got the point where I was able to suck my aligners off my tongue, until the other day when I got my attachments.
Interproximal Reduction
I had an appointment at the dentist to get Interproximal Reduction (IPR) or you may have heard it being called slenderizing. I was going to try and explain what it is but I found a website that I think explained it a lot better...
"Interproximal reduction (IPR) is the removal of small amounts of outer enamel tooth surface between two adjacent teeth. It is a means to acquire additional space to create ideal tooth alignment. Alternative names include: slenderizing, stripping, enamel reduction, and reproximation."
http://www.bracesquestions.com/static/braces-living/orthodontic-treatment/interproximal-reduction-ipr/
The website also goes on about the benefits and the procedure in greater detail, would recommend you check it out! And read on to see my take on it and what it felt like!
My dentist told me it wouldn't hurt when he first mentioned that I got it done. It didn't hurt, it was a bit uncomfortable. It didn't take him that long to do it, I need 4 teeth that will need IPR but I only got two done that day and I wont get the next lot done until my 6/7 tray I think. I have had mine done quite early on as these are the movements that need to be done first.
I know he numbed my gums with a gel and the simply removed 0.5mm of tooth! The uncomfortable part was when he was polishing tooth, after he had done that he put a metal bit inbetween my tooth to see if the gap was big enough and it was, and he moved on the next tooth. When I got up I did notice that there was a little bit of blood on a tissue but not much. Abit later my gums were a little bit sore, I don't think I would have noticed if I didn't have my invisalign on.
Attachments
After a quick count I have 9 attachments in my mouth, 3 of them are on the top and then 6 at the bottom. Again, getting your attachments fitted wasn't painful, uncomfortable though. Your teeth need to be bone dry and a quick polish before then what I believe is a template is fitted on your mouth and then an attachment is added. It is then picked at to see if its hard and solid and then the template is taken off (Sorry if this is not 100% correct this is what appeared to be happen whilst I sat with my mouth wide open). The attachments felt very rough to begin with without my aligners on, I've got used to them now though.
My dentist then said the attachments had been fitted and gave me back my aligners. He then sat eagerly watching me and asked me to put them back in, I snapped them back in, it took a little bit more force than normal. Then he said, now take them out. I looked at him a little puzzled but then I tried to take my aligners out the way I normally would and I couldn't. I was really trying, they wouldn't come out! It felt like I was pulling my teeth out, they had never been this tight before. He then told me to start at the back on one side and then peel it off and work my way round. Believe me that is a lot more easier said than done but eventually I did it and snapped them back in my mouth.
He then gave me 3 sets of aligners taking me up to tray 4 and then asked me to book an appointment in at reception for 7 weeks time and it will just be a check up to see how I am doing and the appointment after will be more IPR.
Read my general update to see how I am getting on!
Interproximal Reduction
I had an appointment at the dentist to get Interproximal Reduction (IPR) or you may have heard it being called slenderizing. I was going to try and explain what it is but I found a website that I think explained it a lot better...
"Interproximal reduction (IPR) is the removal of small amounts of outer enamel tooth surface between two adjacent teeth. It is a means to acquire additional space to create ideal tooth alignment. Alternative names include: slenderizing, stripping, enamel reduction, and reproximation."
http://www.bracesquestions.com/static/braces-living/orthodontic-treatment/interproximal-reduction-ipr/
The website also goes on about the benefits and the procedure in greater detail, would recommend you check it out! And read on to see my take on it and what it felt like!
My dentist told me it wouldn't hurt when he first mentioned that I got it done. It didn't hurt, it was a bit uncomfortable. It didn't take him that long to do it, I need 4 teeth that will need IPR but I only got two done that day and I wont get the next lot done until my 6/7 tray I think. I have had mine done quite early on as these are the movements that need to be done first.
I know he numbed my gums with a gel and the simply removed 0.5mm of tooth! The uncomfortable part was when he was polishing tooth, after he had done that he put a metal bit inbetween my tooth to see if the gap was big enough and it was, and he moved on the next tooth. When I got up I did notice that there was a little bit of blood on a tissue but not much. Abit later my gums were a little bit sore, I don't think I would have noticed if I didn't have my invisalign on.
Attachments
After a quick count I have 9 attachments in my mouth, 3 of them are on the top and then 6 at the bottom. Again, getting your attachments fitted wasn't painful, uncomfortable though. Your teeth need to be bone dry and a quick polish before then what I believe is a template is fitted on your mouth and then an attachment is added. It is then picked at to see if its hard and solid and then the template is taken off (Sorry if this is not 100% correct this is what appeared to be happen whilst I sat with my mouth wide open). The attachments felt very rough to begin with without my aligners on, I've got used to them now though.
My dentist then said the attachments had been fitted and gave me back my aligners. He then sat eagerly watching me and asked me to put them back in, I snapped them back in, it took a little bit more force than normal. Then he said, now take them out. I looked at him a little puzzled but then I tried to take my aligners out the way I normally would and I couldn't. I was really trying, they wouldn't come out! It felt like I was pulling my teeth out, they had never been this tight before. He then told me to start at the back on one side and then peel it off and work my way round. Believe me that is a lot more easier said than done but eventually I did it and snapped them back in my mouth.
He then gave me 3 sets of aligners taking me up to tray 4 and then asked me to book an appointment in at reception for 7 weeks time and it will just be a check up to see how I am doing and the appointment after will be more IPR.
Read my general update to see how I am getting on!
Cleaning your Invisalign
A lot of people said that Invisalign gave them bad breath. I think this because they are not cleaning their aligners properly. When I first got my aligners I simply cleaned them with a normal soft toothbrush and toothpaste, but I noticed they started to smell of well, saliva. Even after cleaning they didn't smell great. So I went off into boots and I purchased;
1) Denture toothbrush
2) Denture bath
3) Denture cleaning tablets (3 minute pro)
I have added a picture to the right, I don't know why its rotated but it has, hopefully you can still see it! I had brought the 3 minute pro tablets, make sure you check how long it takes to clean your aligners. The instructions tell you to use 50 degree water from a kettle, I just used normal cold water out of the tap because I was scared I would warp my aligners.
I properly clean my aligners at least twice a day, once in the morning and then at night, if I am at home when I am eating my lunch meal I will also clean them with the denture bath then also.
All of this cost me around £9, the denture bath will hopefully last me till the end of my treatment, I will replace the brush every 6 months and the tablets only last me around 10 days to about 14 days. I know it may feel like another expense but its definitely worth it. I would pick the denture brush over a normal soft toothbrush any day as it clean all of the aligners very well.
I mean I used to chew alot of chewing gum but now I have my aligners I can't now. The only reason I chewed gum was so my breath was fresh and now I don't need to as its fresh all day :) Also a quick tip, if you feel that you need a minty boost, swill your mouth out with mouthwash!
1) Denture toothbrush
2) Denture bath
3) Denture cleaning tablets (3 minute pro)
I have added a picture to the right, I don't know why its rotated but it has, hopefully you can still see it! I had brought the 3 minute pro tablets, make sure you check how long it takes to clean your aligners. The instructions tell you to use 50 degree water from a kettle, I just used normal cold water out of the tap because I was scared I would warp my aligners.
I properly clean my aligners at least twice a day, once in the morning and then at night, if I am at home when I am eating my lunch meal I will also clean them with the denture bath then also.
All of this cost me around £9, the denture bath will hopefully last me till the end of my treatment, I will replace the brush every 6 months and the tablets only last me around 10 days to about 14 days. I know it may feel like another expense but its definitely worth it. I would pick the denture brush over a normal soft toothbrush any day as it clean all of the aligners very well.
I mean I used to chew alot of chewing gum but now I have my aligners I can't now. The only reason I chewed gum was so my breath was fresh and now I don't need to as its fresh all day :) Also a quick tip, if you feel that you need a minty boost, swill your mouth out with mouthwash!
Sunday 2 October 2011
Social life with invisalign
I seen alot of people had posted on the Internet will it affect your social life? Well yes and no, depends if you let it.
First week I got invisalign I had booked off as holiday so I wasn't working, this meant meals were home cooked and straight after I could follow my oral care (For those who don't know with invisalign you have to clean your teeth each time you drink/eat something that isn't water). I found it fine, I was sticking to the 2 hour slot with ease.
Ok, I am a student as well and I work. This weekend I went on an over 18's weekend (I'm not an alcoholic chill out guys) and this really put everything to the test. In the day we ate out. Which wasn't a problem because I have become a master of getting my Invisalign out, no dribble or anything, yes you heard me NO DRIBBLE, it still isn't the most pleasant thing for people to watch me do but I do it so fast no many people notice.
I have a little travel toothbrush in my at all times with my invisalign case and some tiny toothpaste! I would eat everything I wanted to eat, and then go and brush them. What I also did, which I'm not entirely sure you are meant to do, but in between courses of meals I would slip my invisalign back in, because I was paranoid about keeping them out too long, saving those minutes up!
Ok, here were it wasn't so great. As I was out socially drinking (Yes abit of binging went on), it was fine, I kept to clear drinks such as lemonade and vodka as I didn't want the solution to get stuck in my aligners. (Vodka doesn't damage your teeth, but lemonade does obviously, if you have option go for sugar free/diet!). I didn't manage to stick to clear drinks all night as when people went up to the bar in their intoxicated state forgot what I ordered. Often came back with a mixer of coke (dreaded coke, every dentist worst enemy), as far as I know it didn't show up in my aligners when I was drinking it. A massive downer though when I started doing cheeky shots (Cheeky I know but I hardly ever go away, thought I would let my hair down) it was awful, the foul taste seemed to stay in mouth. Which made the expereince worse for me.
What everyone should know is the reason why your not aloud to eat and drink with your aligners in.
1) Damages them, if your chomping on juicy steak your going to damage the plastic and break it. You'll have one angry dentist sending you a huge bill. Also you can't actually eat food, you can't break it up. I tried eating a grape with them in, massive fail.
2) You know how Invisalign is meant to be invisible, it won't be invisible when you've got massive bit of brococalli magically staying stationary in the middle of your tooth. It will draw attention to your mouth and I can imagine being quite embarassing. And believe me, the food will get in there, some how my lipstick gets in there, I don't know how but it does.
3) Drinking coloured drinks like tea or coffee you are going to stain your aligners they will become a grey/yellow colour, or if your eating curry maybe the colour will be even fruitier!
4) Finally the biggest one, you obviously care alot about your teeth and what they look like, you have just forked out thousands of pounds for your treatment, yes? Well do you want straight teeth with discolouration, holes, fillings, teeth missing etc? Rather pointless. If your drinking coke with them in, or even drink coke then put your aligners back in without proper oral care the sugar is sitting on your teeth without your natural salaiva to clean them.
First week I got invisalign I had booked off as holiday so I wasn't working, this meant meals were home cooked and straight after I could follow my oral care (For those who don't know with invisalign you have to clean your teeth each time you drink/eat something that isn't water). I found it fine, I was sticking to the 2 hour slot with ease.
Ok, I am a student as well and I work. This weekend I went on an over 18's weekend (I'm not an alcoholic chill out guys) and this really put everything to the test. In the day we ate out. Which wasn't a problem because I have become a master of getting my Invisalign out, no dribble or anything, yes you heard me NO DRIBBLE, it still isn't the most pleasant thing for people to watch me do but I do it so fast no many people notice.
I have a little travel toothbrush in my at all times with my invisalign case and some tiny toothpaste! I would eat everything I wanted to eat, and then go and brush them. What I also did, which I'm not entirely sure you are meant to do, but in between courses of meals I would slip my invisalign back in, because I was paranoid about keeping them out too long, saving those minutes up!
Ok, here were it wasn't so great. As I was out socially drinking (Yes abit of binging went on), it was fine, I kept to clear drinks such as lemonade and vodka as I didn't want the solution to get stuck in my aligners. (Vodka doesn't damage your teeth, but lemonade does obviously, if you have option go for sugar free/diet!). I didn't manage to stick to clear drinks all night as when people went up to the bar in their intoxicated state forgot what I ordered. Often came back with a mixer of coke (dreaded coke, every dentist worst enemy), as far as I know it didn't show up in my aligners when I was drinking it. A massive downer though when I started doing cheeky shots (Cheeky I know but I hardly ever go away, thought I would let my hair down) it was awful, the foul taste seemed to stay in mouth. Which made the expereince worse for me.
What everyone should know is the reason why your not aloud to eat and drink with your aligners in.
1) Damages them, if your chomping on juicy steak your going to damage the plastic and break it. You'll have one angry dentist sending you a huge bill. Also you can't actually eat food, you can't break it up. I tried eating a grape with them in, massive fail.
2) You know how Invisalign is meant to be invisible, it won't be invisible when you've got massive bit of brococalli magically staying stationary in the middle of your tooth. It will draw attention to your mouth and I can imagine being quite embarassing. And believe me, the food will get in there, some how my lipstick gets in there, I don't know how but it does.
3) Drinking coloured drinks like tea or coffee you are going to stain your aligners they will become a grey/yellow colour, or if your eating curry maybe the colour will be even fruitier!
4) Finally the biggest one, you obviously care alot about your teeth and what they look like, you have just forked out thousands of pounds for your treatment, yes? Well do you want straight teeth with discolouration, holes, fillings, teeth missing etc? Rather pointless. If your drinking coke with them in, or even drink coke then put your aligners back in without proper oral care the sugar is sitting on your teeth without your natural salaiva to clean them.
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Moan, moan and moan a little bit more...
As I have had my Invisalign in for a couple of days now I feel that I have exceeded the average woman's moaning capabilities. I have infact talked so much about them and moaned about them to my boyfriend I think he's unsure if its me or him that's wearing them now.
Alls I seem to do all day is suck my aligners and I'm afraid I'm going to either break them or loosen them (if that's possible). Sometimes I try and bite them as if I'm trying to get some relief, but obviously my teeth can not touch as there is two sheets of plastic blocking them from doing so, even more frustrating.
One plus side, my fingers slowly crept to my mouth and I went to begin the disgusting the habit of biting my nails... wait a minute... I can't get a firm grip? What's going on? I can't bite them? Why is this? What's going on... Ow, I see, you again. Stopping me doing what I want. Invisalign.
Well don't get me wrong it's a good thing that I don't bite my nails because its just a foul habit and now I have no choice but to stop. My dentist is extremely against this anyway, as he says to me with a stern look in his eye "Shona your teeth are not tools". He first said this to me when he noticed the chip in my front tooth, asked me how I had got it and I simply replied, not sure it just appeared one day. He said, Do you put hair grips in your mouth? Do bite pens? Do you open bottles with you mouth? The answer was yes to them all, I'm doing my hair I place a hair grip in my mouth why I fondle bits in to place. If I'm nervous at university or trying to figure something out I put the top of my pen in my mouth. I often had to replace my pens not because they had ran out but because i'd virtually nearly eaten all of the pen (not literally eaten it but chewed it till it wasn't usable). When he said open bottles with your teeth, i'm not sure if he meant like a plastic bottle of coke because I constantly use my teeth as I never seem to have enough grip to open them or whether he meant glass bottles like beer, if he meant the second one certainly not, think i'd have more than one chipped tooth with that!
Alls I seem to do all day is suck my aligners and I'm afraid I'm going to either break them or loosen them (if that's possible). Sometimes I try and bite them as if I'm trying to get some relief, but obviously my teeth can not touch as there is two sheets of plastic blocking them from doing so, even more frustrating.
One plus side, my fingers slowly crept to my mouth and I went to begin the disgusting the habit of biting my nails... wait a minute... I can't get a firm grip? What's going on? I can't bite them? Why is this? What's going on... Ow, I see, you again. Stopping me doing what I want. Invisalign.
Well don't get me wrong it's a good thing that I don't bite my nails because its just a foul habit and now I have no choice but to stop. My dentist is extremely against this anyway, as he says to me with a stern look in his eye "Shona your teeth are not tools". He first said this to me when he noticed the chip in my front tooth, asked me how I had got it and I simply replied, not sure it just appeared one day. He said, Do you put hair grips in your mouth? Do bite pens? Do you open bottles with you mouth? The answer was yes to them all, I'm doing my hair I place a hair grip in my mouth why I fondle bits in to place. If I'm nervous at university or trying to figure something out I put the top of my pen in my mouth. I often had to replace my pens not because they had ran out but because i'd virtually nearly eaten all of the pen (not literally eaten it but chewed it till it wasn't usable). When he said open bottles with your teeth, i'm not sure if he meant like a plastic bottle of coke because I constantly use my teeth as I never seem to have enough grip to open them or whether he meant glass bottles like beer, if he meant the second one certainly not, think i'd have more than one chipped tooth with that!
Tips when wearing Invisalign
I will add to this as the weeks go by...
1) One thing that I noticed when browsing other blogs people weren't keeping them in for the full 22 hours, some even slipped by taking them out for more 4 hours. Why spend all that money if you aren't going to keep to it guys? Tip: Take your aligners out when you are about to eat, not when you are making that sandwich, I mean the sandwich is infront of you, then take them out. If you are dining out, go to the toilet to take them out when your food is coming to the table, you could be saving yourself up to 30 minutes a day! As well as taking them out at the right time, but them in at the right time. Yes, I know it feel heavenly when you take them off, but think of the money and your end result! Don't sit and watch the end of your programme or sit there talking to someone when your not eating (If your not eating, they should be in your mouth!!), have the will power to get up, brush your teeth and stick them back in. Then you are free to do what you want!
2) Buy a stop clock (Yes I know it sounds nerdy)... but it helps loads, most phones have them built in anyway, but record how long you are taking them out for the entire day. It might be massive wake up call that you are keeping them out of your mouth for too long.
3) Try not to snack as much, it will cause a lot of inconvenience. Plan on what you want to consume and cram it all into your 3 meals. You never know invisalign may even improve your diet!
4) Most people own a camera, whether it be a digital one or simply on their phone, take a picture of your teeth every time you change your aligners, then when you get to the stages aligners 10, 15, 20, etc start going through your picture preferably back to back so you can see the difference. This will give you faith and make you feel so much better when you can see it working.
1) One thing that I noticed when browsing other blogs people weren't keeping them in for the full 22 hours, some even slipped by taking them out for more 4 hours. Why spend all that money if you aren't going to keep to it guys? Tip: Take your aligners out when you are about to eat, not when you are making that sandwich, I mean the sandwich is infront of you, then take them out. If you are dining out, go to the toilet to take them out when your food is coming to the table, you could be saving yourself up to 30 minutes a day! As well as taking them out at the right time, but them in at the right time. Yes, I know it feel heavenly when you take them off, but think of the money and your end result! Don't sit and watch the end of your programme or sit there talking to someone when your not eating (If your not eating, they should be in your mouth!!), have the will power to get up, brush your teeth and stick them back in. Then you are free to do what you want!
2) Buy a stop clock (Yes I know it sounds nerdy)... but it helps loads, most phones have them built in anyway, but record how long you are taking them out for the entire day. It might be massive wake up call that you are keeping them out of your mouth for too long.
3) Try not to snack as much, it will cause a lot of inconvenience. Plan on what you want to consume and cram it all into your 3 meals. You never know invisalign may even improve your diet!
4) Most people own a camera, whether it be a digital one or simply on their phone, take a picture of your teeth every time you change your aligners, then when you get to the stages aligners 10, 15, 20, etc start going through your picture preferably back to back so you can see the difference. This will give you faith and make you feel so much better when you can see it working.
Slobbering/ Annoying my boyfriend
Ok, I remember my dentist saying some people have noticed they have gathered a lot of saliva in their mouth when wearing the aligners, well yes I did it wasn’t a problem at all but I didn’t really know how much I was until I took those picture of my teeth and you can see the slobber running down my mouth there was that much storing itself in my mouth! It is not a problem though day to day, I do not walk around drooling all day, honest.
Another thing I thought of, you know when you chew chewing gum when you have not had anything to eat. You get severe bellyache because more saliva is being produced and it is sending the message to your stomach your about to eat so its start boiling up the acid giving you belly ache? Well that’s something I get, not sure if everyone else has ever suffered from it but I experienced exactly the same thing this morning, severe belly ache it may be coincidence and I may have stomach ulcer and not know about it but just thought I’d mention it as I was fine as soon as I had eaten something.
A habit I have developed in the past couple of days is sucking my aligners much to my boyfriend’s disgust. We were lying in bed in silence trying to get to sleep and he turned over and said, “All I can hear is you sucking your aligners and swallowing!” I simply said, “I can’t help it sorry!” I believe the sucking and swallowing has replaced something much worse. Normally my boyfriend will wake me up in the middle of the night with a gentle shove following by “Shona, stop grinding your teeth”, I seem to do this quite viciously as my whole jaw will ache in the morning, now with the aligners in its quite hard to get my teeth together, so I’ll take slobbing and sucking over grinding teeth anyway, they can have break for the next year and half.
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