Update: Tray 1

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! :)

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!

First day with Invisalign / Pictures with Invisalign in

Ok, even though I am the biggest girly girl ever, I cannot stand fake nails, fake eyelashes, not because I don’t like the look of them, I love them. But when they are on my hands or my eye lashes I’m clawing at them within minutes trying to get them off, I just hate the feel of them. Having these aligners in my mouth is exactly the same feeling! They were tight when I put them on, no pain but within an hour, my teeth were throbbing and I was in immense pain. I took many painkillers but I didn’t feel like they worked. They were very painful, I could not wait for mealtime to get them off, and well that was something else all together....

Only eat soft foods when you first start wearing your invisalign

I thought I would just have some soup and every single time my teeth gently touched, it felt like I was bashing them together. I heard this is the same sensation when people are wearing bracing and they get them tightened.

At the minute it feels like I have a plastic ruler taped to my mouth, I hope I get used to these because there awful. The top aligners aren’t really bothering me I have sort of forgot about them already, the bottom are really annoying me!

One thing that did make my day, as I went to meet my boyfriend from work I walked in and he said "Have you got your braces in?" (He just calls my invisalign, braces). I said "Yes, I've got them in". His friend then said "You have braces in? Let me see!", I then gave him a little smile, he then following with "I can't see them? Have you got them ones at the back of your teeth?" It did make my day that he couldn't see them!

Here are some pictures of what I look like with the invisalign in. The bumps are were my attachments will go, I am getting these next week. If you want to see the picture on a larger scale simply give it a click and it will enlarge itself.

Collecting my trays

Collecting my trays today, I have been waiting for this moment every since I read about invisalign on the internet. To tell you exactly how excited I was, the day previous I went sky diving, I was far more excited and nervous about picking my trays up then I was jumping out the plane! (How did the sky dive go? Very well thank you I raised a lot of money of charity, amazing feeling, do it if you ever have a chance, ok back to invisalign, sorry). I walked in the dentist very nervous and excited, walked up to reception and sat chatting to the lady at reception as they are all lovely who work at the dentist.

A few minutes later, who I believe to be my hygienist (apologise if I have understated you) called me in and asked me to sit down in the big dentist chair. Normally I really take great pride in appearance; make up has to be perfection, with my hair primed along with trying to keep up with the latest trends in fashion, although today I had to be up extremely early to travel to the dentist as I was stopping elsewhere the night before. This meant I had no makeup on, and quickly tied my hair up and minimal effort had been made with my clothes, as I was rather tired. To make me feel even better about myself my hygienist (who I am now going to call Sandra), asked me if I was feeling ok. I instantly knew she was referring to my washed out face as everybody tells me how tired I look and poorly when I do not wear “my face”. I assured her I felt fine.

She then went and fetched my tray and my goodie bag! (Yes, you heard me right! GOODIE bag, not sure, if everyone receives it that is on the invisalign programme or just at my dentist but I was extremely happy with the little gifts, made all the money I just paid for Invisalign worth it for those few seconds).  Sandra then said, if you are feeling sick (again, referring to my appalling appearance) you can try them now and wear them later when you are feeling better? I then nicely said thanks, but I just do not have make up on and I look very different, but honestly, I am feeling fine. I am not sure who was more embarrassed; to be honest I think it was I.

She then got my trays out of a little plastic sealed back and I felt it was Christmas all over again when I received my orange CD player with my first CD (Anyone wondering it was Cher – Believe). She then got out some tissue and said I will explain everything all over again and we will practice taking them in and out.

She then went over the little book that invisalign sends with your trays giving you some tips, how to insert them, how to remove them, how to care for them and how to store them and some commonly asked questions. Sandra had invisalign before me and she has finished her treatment so she was able to answer the question on a rather personal level, which helped loads. Finally, I was putting them in! I put the bottom ones in first gently pushing them on to my teeth, they rather snapped on, they felt rather tight (again, I am glad they did makes you think their working) and then I put the top ones in, Walaaa! She gave me a mirror and told me to have a look, and yes, they were invisible, apart from the couple of bumps I had on my two canines, (these are called attachments). The attachments help keep it tight and get good strong hold on your teeth.)

I was so happy I finally had them.  She then said “Can you take them off for me?” and then carried on to say “We have had people that have got home and then have rang in crying and sobbing because they just can’t get them off!” Again, I have read this all over internet, people first get their aligners and have not developed their own personal technique yet within the first couple of days. Ok, honestly I’m not bragging and may be eating words in a week’s time when I get my attachments but I was a pro from the off. I got my short stubbing nails right into the back of my mouth (It was an attractive technique it got the job done though) and peeling them off back to front, and then did the same with the bottom ones. Sandra was very happy and said, “You’re a natural!”

She then went through my little goodie bag with me, I got my little invisalign start pack this included two cases, one to keep the current ones in my mouth in so I can keep them clean and store them safety, another one to keep my last aligners in (in case I lose my current ones, break them etc). I also got some Colgate mouthwash, some travel Oral B toothpaste, a travel toothbrush, 6 Interdental brushes (If honest, I’ve not a clue about these sure there something to do with flossing). I have posted a picture with everything I got, I didn’t get the paracetamol and ibuprofen I thought I’d just be funny and add it in, jokes aside you will need them, believe me.

One thing Sandra said to me before I left, remember they are plastic this means they are flexible and quite strong as they have the ability to move your teeth although remember they are just plastic and can break easily.

Ok so I am leaving the dentist with my aligners in my mouth and my little pack, they felt tight but ok. Invisalign has started! My next post will be how I got on my first day!

Note to self: Don’t leave the house without your face on, check how to interdental brushes (and the sizes)