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thanks so much for your reply, I am relieved to hear it's getting better! Today was my fourth day and it's still painful but I think not quite as painful as it was on Saturday!
Yes I have followed your posts and have been hoping that my experience with the aligner will be as short as yours I am seeing the same dentist as you, by the way!
Still can't speak properly - I even find myself developing a slight lisp when I remove it! - because I don't want to touch my front teeth with my tongue - too sore!
Hopefully my speech will get better before getting back to work. I must admit I've not been practising much (I avoid pretty much everything just now which involves moving my mouth / lips!).
Funny you mention the water - I find myself drinking A LOT more water than usual, I carry a bottle about wherever I go!
Really really pleased for you that your treatment is nearly over by the way!
Hi everyone, I'm now onto week 12 of the IA, however I seemed to have reached a plateau?
Has anyone else experienced this? In my first 3-4 weeks I had quite a bit of movement and when I went to the dentist week 7 he could see a great improvement, but the past month I seem to have had no movement. I revisited the dentist last week who tightened the aligner, and he said there is enough space for my teeth to move.
I've been wearing the IA for upto 20 hours a day, with an average of probably 17 -18 hours.
Also I'm wondering how much movement people have had once they have gone onto the clears, or whether all the movement was done with the IA?
Hi there! I'm new here but have been reading this site for quite long now. It really helped me to make the decision to go with the IA so thanks everyone. I finally had my IA fitted 06/05/2009.
The first week with the IA was a nightmare as the back spring was sliding down all the time and for some reason my teeth hurt so much during the night that I couldn't sleep with the IA at all (it didn't hurt during the day though!). I assume it was because of the back spring that wasn't in the right position? I went to the dentist after a couple of days and he put composite fillings behind my teeth and now the back spring has been ok and my speech has improved because of that as well. I've been wearing the IA at work from the beginning and around 20 hours per day.
Yesterday, after 4 weeks with IA, I went to see the dentist again. I had noticed a LOT of improvement and thought that the teeth were already looking good but was still surprised when the dentist said that my teeth were already in the correct position!!! He took the moulds for the retainer which will be fitted in three weeks and during these three weeks I only need to wear the IA at night. I'm truly amazed! The IA to my lower teeth will be fitted also the same day as the retainer to the upper teeth.
By the way, I'm from Finland and there's only one dentist that offers IA here.
The plastic part that pushes my teeth forward broke and theres a little bit left and its in the same shape so I pushed it forward and theres a little bit of pressure on my teeth, what should I do?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??! My dentists office is closed on saturdas so I can't call and I dont want my teeth to move. Help
If there's some pressure on the teeth don't worry too much, call your dentist monday when they open and get an appointment. Hopefully they can sort it or order a replacement or something?
Id just like to thank you for all your postings on here - I've found out so much more about the Inman from this thread than from my dentist!
Two of my front top teeth are crooked and have been so for as long as I can remember, the only treatment available to me in the past was 2 years of fixed train track braces which wasn't something I wanted to go through especially as I was worried about it affecting the health of my teeth - Ive been lucky to get through life with no fillings, never having to see a hygienist or having any kind of dental work done other than a 6 monthly check up (my 3 brothers are all the same so I think its down to good genes!)
My crooked teeth though have bothered me for years and this year I finally (at the age of 41) decided to do something about it and 3 weeks ago got my Inman aligner. Despite the awful speech (apparently I sound like the Elephant man or Tim nice but Dim from Harry Enfield!!) I have been wearing it as much as possible - around 20-22 hours a day and I can't believe that after years of being unhappy my teeth are already beginning to move!!!! It's just so exciting!
Haven't really had many problems with it - the bit behind my teeth seemed to be getting lower and lower but this morning the dentist put a composite behind one of my front teeth and now it sits higher my speech has improved and the aligner feels much more snug fitting in my mouth. Apart from that my teeth have been bit tender since I got the aligner but not so much I've needed painkillers, the most scary bit was the initial teeth filing when the filing strip went through my gum (owwww!!!) but today's filing seemed to go well.
Just cant wait for the end results - my dentist is going to put me in clear aligners after the Inman has done most of the movement needed - I just cant believe that after 30 odd years of hating something so much it will soon be fixed! Id recommend anyone to go for it.
Hope to share my finished results with you in the not too distant future!!
Id just like to thank you for all your postings on here - I've found out so much more about the Inman from this thread than from my dentist!
Two of my front top teeth are crooked and have been so for as long as I can remember, the only treatment available to me in the past was 2 years of fixed train track braces which wasn't something I wanted to go through especially as I was worried about it affecting the health of my teeth - Ive been lucky to get through life with no fillings, never having to see a hygienist or having any kind of dental work done other than a 6 monthly check up (my 3 brothers are all the same so I think its down to good genes!)
My crooked teeth though have bothered me for years and this year I finally (at the age of 41) decided to do something about it and 3 weeks ago got my Inman aligner. Despite the awful speech (apparently I sound like the Elephant man or Tim nice but Dim from Harry Enfield!!) I have been wearing it as much as possible - around 20-22 hours a day and I can't believe that after years of being unhappy my teeth are already beginning to move!!!! It's just so exciting!
Haven't really had many problems with it - the bit behind my teeth seemed to be getting lower and lower but this morning the dentist put a composite behind one of my front teeth and now it sits higher my speech has improved and the aligner feels much more snug fitting in my mouth. Apart from that my teeth have been bit tender since I got the aligner but not so much I've needed painkillers, the most scary bit was the initial teeth filing when the filing strip went through my gum (owwww!!!) but today's filing seemed to go well.
Just cant wait for the end results - my dentist is going to put me in clear aligners after the Inman has done most of the movement needed - I just cant believe that after 30 odd years of hating something so much it will soon be fixed! Id recommend anyone to go for it.
Hope to share my finished results with you in the not too distant future!!
hi there .. just to say that you REALLY are never too old !!! LOL !! .. i am 47 on my birthday and one of the funniest things was hearing my 8 year old grandaughter explain to her friend that "my nana has braces" !!!! .. just soo funny !! .....
I really need to get hold of this wax.
I've had a look online but can't work out which type it is, there seems to be a dental modelling wax, which comes in rather large pieces, or some smaller ones that come in quite small strips.
I can't see that the small strips would be enough.
Has anyone got a website they can direct me to with the wax on, even if just a picture?
Or what kind of size is each strip of wax?
I have had the aligner for just over two weeks now and thought I give you all a progress report
My first week was absolute agony but now the pain has gone completely - it's very strange and I'm wondering if it's still working?? I can take it out and put in no bother. I've got an appointment on Thursday with the dentist so maybe more filing is required:( to make the teeth move again?
I think they have definitely started to move - hard to tell to be honest because I see them everyday lol. I forgot in all the excitement of the first few days to take a photo (but would recommend that if you're starting out now!!)
I am finally back on track again. My IA was sent to be fixed and I didnt get it back for two weeks. It took less than 24 hours for my teeth to fall back into place. Very very painful but now feels like part of my mouth again.
The price to fix my brace was £30.. looks like it is a whole new brace if I am honest!
Hi guys,
I've been reading this board with real interest as I'm going for my consultation for an Inman Aligner tomorrow. I'm a bit concerned that after months of wearing the IA Sheral, you say that within 24 hrs your teeth have moved back! Is that completely back to their starting position?? Has anyone else had exerience of this? I might be being a bit blonde here, but how are they ever going to stay in the 'new position' if they can move back SO quickly? I don't want to waste £££'s to have straight teeth only when I'm wearing the aligner! Advise ANYONE please!! xx
I read that as though Sherral was impressed that although she hadn't worn the aligner for the 2 weeks, her teeth are back in alignment within 24 hours??
I stopped wearing the Inman and switched to clears, reducing the time spent wearing them to just at night. There was slight movement during the day as the clear was a bit tight but not really noticable. For my own piece of mind, I had a bonded wire fixed to the back of my front 4 teeth last week and am used to having it there already.
The Inman is amazing, and I'm so glad I went for it but you will need a retainer afterwards, what type is up to you and your ortho but don't expect to finish with the aligner and that's it - otherwise they will move out of line again.
Well.... I took the plunge and after months of reading this thread and contemplation I went for my consultation in Sidcup and my Inman is being made as I type!! Having it fitted late July and should have straight teeth by Xmas!! My dentist says I have got to have the expander fitted onto the IA, which i'll wear for 12-14 weeks and probably 2-3 clears after that, just for tweaking! A bit worried about the expander... oh, nd the dreaded filing!
I'll post back when i get it fitted.
A big THANKS to all of you posting on here, it's what has given me the motivation to go for it. It's made me realise that i'm not going to be the only twenty-something with braces! Would LOVE to see some more before, during and after pics from those of you further down the line!
Rach xx
I am seeing the same dentist as you, by the way!
xx